Carousel
by Furor Scribiendi
Summary: AU - “Someone who bitterly regrets what happens, but isn’t ashamed of her actions.” Jim said, drumming the fingers of one hand against the table, the other holding his chin up. “Someone who knows the painful sting of…science gone awry.”
1. Prologue: Part One: Two Shots

Prologue: Part 1 - Two Shots 

Prologue: Part 1   
Two Shots 

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The quiet whisper of wind flowed around her, as she remained perfectly still, watching with the eyes of a hawk. People walked by one by one, heading along to their respective jobs. Once the hallway was clear, she slithered down from the vent, pushing the grate away. She ran down the hall, coming to a locked door. Punching the computer console, she took hold of the door and forced it open. 

"W-Who are you?" 

She walked in ignoring the frightened voice. With a fluid motion, she reached underneath her trench coat and pulled out a revolver. The person started to back away slowly, groping for some unseen object. 

"Please don't kill me. I didn't know that they would-" 

Narrowing her eyes, she released the safety and let a single shot fly home to its target before another one followed. The person slid to the ground as the first bullet hit them straight in the heart, the other dead between the eyes. She strode over, ripping the id tag off the lab coat. _'One down, nine more to go. It was nice knowing you Arthur Richler.'_

She put the tag in her pocket and headed back out, closing the grate behind her. She came out in the alleyway and jumped down before she jumped up to the top of the building. The gravel crunched slightly with her landing before she strode off, walking along the rooftops and jumping from building to building. 

Finally, she reached a broken dusty old window, slipping in through the hole that she had made. Ratty old furniture lay strewn around the floor, the dust thick upon most of the things. She flopped down on the couch, staring ahead for a few moments before she started removing her weapons. 

Soon enough, the crate that served as a footstool had every weapons of an imaginable sort littered across its top. She started at the crate top with an almost wistful expression before she walked to the small cabinet at the side and took out a bottle filled with the golden colour of whiskey. 

She discarded the trench coat before she started to strip down to her underwear. She sat on the couch gratefully, unscrewing the top and taking a long pull from the bottle. She stared up at the rusted metal girders that supported the ceiling somehow in their old age. Looking at the bottle once more, she made a motion, thinking to put it down and not get herself drunk. Deciding it over, she held the bottle close as she made herself comfortable. Taking another pull, she sighed and closed her eyes; this was going to be a very long drink. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A/N: Me is not so sure when the next part will come out. Soon me hopes because Peridot has been bugging me for this and she has been waiting for little over a year so I really do owe her for being so patient while I was my usual forgetful self. 


	2. Prologue: Part Two: Big Boss and a New J...

Prologue: Part 2   
Big Boss and a New Job 

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With a nervous look in his eyes, he pressed the button, waiting for the elevator to come down and carry him up. His eyes darted around frequently, making sure that no one else was there. If they knew what floor he was going to, they would definitely start a farewell party. The ding told him the elevator had come. He stepped on quickly, pressing the close button. Just as he door were about to close shut, they opened again. 

"Phew. Though I wouldn't make it for a second there." came the relieved female voice. "Could you press forty nine for me please?" 

"No problem." he said as the door shut and he pressed the button. "Working late?" 

The woman nodded her head. "I don't really like it though. Ever since Arthur was killed a few days ago, it creeps me out. I just going to get some things and then I'm out of here. You?" 

"Meeting with the boss. Even if it is at eleven at night." he said flashing her a smile. "You were the one working with Arthur?" 

"Yup. I heard that he was on that project...you the one about twenty years ago?" 

"Oh, he was on that project?" he asked with a glib voice. _'Unfortunately I know all about that project. It's the damn reason why I'm in this shit.'_

"Apparently so." the woman said. "They say it came back to get revenge for its mate." 

"You don't say." he said as he glanced at the numbers; it was only at twenty-nine. "It had a mate?" 

"I probably shouldn't be talking about this so freely," the woman looked around furtively. "But Arthur told me that they planned to-" 

The woman stopped as the elevator gave a jerk and the lights flickered wildly. He looked around carefully, noticing that the number stopped on thirty. "Are you OK?" 

"Yeah I'm fine; wasn't expecting that though. Do you think that we're stuck?" 

"Probably." he looked around. "Maybe if I went up and checked the wires; one may have come loose." 

"I'll go. I used to be an electrician. If that is the problem than I'll have it fixed in no time." 

"No, really, I think I should go up and-" 

"Nonsense. Give me a boost up." she said as she placed a foot on one of the handrail. 

Reluctantly he gave her the boost and watched as her coat disappeared through the hole. A few seconds later, the elevator started back up, speeding straight to the top. He closed his eyes as the numbers shot from thirty to one hundred and ten, the woman's lengthy scream cut off suddenly as the car screeched to an abrupt stop. 

He stepped back in revulsion as blood started to drip in from the top of the elevator, thick and slow. The door opened with a cheery ding, the hallway stretching to the end, covered in a black carpet. Hesitantly he started forward, the smooth black and steel doors at the end in plain view. 

"This is it," he muttered as he paused before the doors. "Don't be surprised if you don't ever come out of this office." 

Taking the steel handle, he turned it and pushed the door open. The whole room was a pitch black, the desk in front of the window enveloped in a puddle of shadow. The chair in front of the desk bathed in a small area of light, the only light in the room. 

"Have a seat." 

He shivered involuntarily at the cold voice as he dutifully took his seat. He didn't say anything as silence reigned, his eyes barely able to pick out the back of the chair behind the desk. The stars glimmered faintly through the glass as he watched them in an effort to distract his mind from the crushing silence. Then the chair turned around, the elfin figure in it resting her chin on interlaced fingers. 

"Do you know why you are here Sebastian?" 

"I have a vague idea." he admitted. 

"Your tutor, Ed, do you know what happened to him?" 

"He confronted it at one point and never came back." Sebastian replied in an even voice. 

"Very good; you've been doing your homework." the woman's voice sounded pleased. "And you know the role you have to fulfil now in his place." 

"Yes." the word felt like dead weight that dragged him down to his death. "I have to capture it and bring it back in to complete the project." 

"As well as..." 

"As well as its mate." he said in a dry voice. "My sole job is to bring them back in, no matter what the cost, even if it means my life." 

The woman didn't say anything for a few moments before she reached in a drawer for something and threw it down on the desk. The rectangle slid along the smooth surface, coming to a halt at the edge. Reaching forward, Sebastian took the photo and looked at it. His breath caught in his throat as he gazed down at the familiar face. 

"What does she have to do with this?" he asked in a hoarse voice. "Leave her alone." 

"You know things don't work that way here Sebastian." a cruel smirk came to the woman's lips as she leaned forward. "We do need some guarantee that you will do your utmost to see this done." 

"How dare you-" 

"Ah ah, that is not the tone you should be using with your new boss, now is it?" 

Sebastian felt his face blanch. "Very well then, I'll say it nicely. If you hurt her in any way, I'll see you dead." 

"I highly doubt that will happen Sebastian. You have full and complete clearance to do whatever necessary. If you find you have a problem obtaining resources, tell them that Kali sent you." 

"Kali. You're the one who..." 

"Yes I am." the woman rose, her brilliant green eyes, gleaming in the light as she stepped forward slightly. "I suggest that you start working now. I am not one for people sitting down on the job." 

Sebastian rose stiffly and walked out the door, the picture clutched tightly in his hand. Once he closed the door behind him, he relaxed his hand and looked at the picture in it again as he uncrumpled it. A sad look crossed his face as he saw her young face once more. _'Forgive me; I'm so sorry Melfina.'_

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Please don't think this is pointless, I am heading somewhere with it (and I know that is a change for me) and am doing my best to get things going. Doomo arigatou minna-san. ^^ 


	3. One: Wonderful, Wonderful Wong

A/N: Gomen about the wait for this chapter; I really did have a bad case of writer's block just getting this fic off the ground but I can gladly say that's over with! These events take place a few years after the Leyline incident; let's say oh....five years. Suzuka and Aisha will show up once more...eventually though...I've changed things around only 'slightly'. And someone who is and isn't familiar shows back up again. *don't worry, I watched the series from beginning to end and it is entirely plausible!!* 

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When it is a question of money, everyone is of the same religion. ~ Voltaire 

Chapter One   
Wonderful, Wonderful Wong 

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"Hayfong's horrible at this time of year." Jim grumbled as he made his way through the crowd in Gene's wake. "There're too many people." 

"You worry too much. One of these people is going to bring in the money we need." Gene shrugged. 

"Yeah, after you banged up the ship and trashed the place like all those other times. I keep telling you that you have to stop that. We can barely afford to travel through space sometimes. We can't keep on borrowing money from Fred. You think the fact that we still owe him so much would stop you." 

"Things take care of themselves Jim, that's one thing you should learn, so stop worrying about it. Haven't we always scraped through?" 

"Scraped through." he mumbled. "That's what it always is. We can live comfortably off the money we take in if you would just-" 

"Yeah, yeah." Gene said in a dismissive tone as he turned down the street. "We're leaving tomorrow anyways so you can relax a bit." 

Jim sighed as he walked into the building after Gene. _'Maybe after I become the first kid to have a stress related heart attack.'_ He looked up as Melfina came out of the back and greeted them with a smile. 

"Did you get the stuff?" she asked, taking the bag from Gene. "I can't make dinner without it." 

"Yeah we got it." Jim said as he plunked himself down in front of his computer and booted it. "Now don't bother me at all. I have to pay the bills before we go. What I can anyways." 

"I keep telling you Jim, you worry too much. Take a break-" Gene started but was interrupted by the loud bang that came as the front door flew open. 

Jim turned around to see a woman leaning heavily against the door, her eyes darting around wildly, and the briefcase by her side lying on its side. Spying the couch she ran forward and dragged it back, barricading the entrance. 

"Miss, do you need-" Melfina asked as she went to the lady. 

"I'll pay you whatever you want, just don't let her get me!" the lady said as she grabbed at Melfina's shirt and clung to it desperately. 

Gene pulled the woman off and gave her a small shake. "Calm down first off, and then we'll see if we can help you." 

The woman gulped before she nodded. "I hear that you take jobs of a," she paused before she spoke again. "Of a different sort." 

"Well that depends." Jim said, rising from his seat. "What exactly are you getting at?" 

"You take more dangerous jobs." the woman looked around furtively. "How much wong will it take for you to accept the job?" 

"That depends on how much your willing to pay, how dangerous the job is, if you want," Gene said as he rattled some things from the top of his head. 

The woman walked forward, grabbing her briefcase and slamming it down on Jim's computer desk. She opened it quickly before she spun it around. "Is this enough?" 

Jim gaped at the briefcase full of money that lay open before them. He glanced at Gene who had a completely eager and willing expression on his face. "Give us a minute to discuss this." he said as he dragged Gene into the spare room. 

"Jim, what's there to discuss?" Gene asked puzzled once his friend shut the door. "You said it yourself, we need the wong." 

"Yeah I know but doesn't the woman seem a bit...desperate to you?" Jim. "What could have her so worked up?" 

"You have a point there. But I really don't think that it's anything beyond her wanting protection from something. Probably a jilted boyfriend or something, you know it's nothing we can't handle." 

Jim frowned for a minute as he reflected on Gene's words; he did have a point. Maybe the woman was looking for nothing more than a surety from someone who was angry at her. He nodded his head, brushing aside his reservations; the money would help to pay off a lot of their bills, mainly their debt to Fred. He looked up at the woman who was seated on the couch now, a cup of coffee in her hand as Melfina sat down beside her. 

"Forgive my temporary outburst there." the lady said rising. "My name is Khujesta. I used to work for Styx." 

"Styx?" Melfina asked. "Aren't they the corporation that makes androids?" 

"Yes." Khujesta said in a sad voice. "But after one experiment, I couldn't stay there. It was far too hazardous to my health." 

"What was hazardous to your health?" Gene asked; she suddenly seemed shifty and tense. 

"Not what; who." 

"So we are dealing with a stalker." Jim murmured to himself. 

"Not just any sort of stalker. One of the worst you could ever think of. It's not like anything you'll ever know." there as an odd tone in Khujesta's voice. 

"We'll see about that." Gene said as he seated himself down on the couch beside Melfina. "You just leave us to do or job and nothing will happen to you." 

Khujesta gave a somewhat dry laugh before she walked to the window and looked out from the side. "You aren't the first one to say that." 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Gene frowned as he looked over at Khujesta who was knocking on a door quietly. "You know, if you knock a bit harder, they might hear you." 

"Such venom isn't needed Gene." she said before she resumed knocking. "He will come." 

"He will come." he muttered to himself in a low pantomime. "He will help me. That's all you've said for the past few days; have you thought of doing anything yourself at all to get out of your mess?" he crossed his arms with irritation; this had been the routine for the week; slinking around as his client was making her clandestine inquiries. 

Khujesta gave him a sad shake of her head before the door swung open silently. Gene followed behind her, his muscles tensing as they walked down the long hallway. Another door opened at the end, a single table illuminated in a bright pool of light. A frown crossed his face as Khujesta took the seat in front of their entrance, folding her hands with patience. Gene frowned at her as she glared at him for tapping his foot. 

"You seem to still have a bit of impatience Gene. I thought you would have learned by now." 

"What do you mean still?" he asked. 

She simply gave him an enigmatic smile before she turned around. "Wait and he will come." 

"He this mysterious 'he'; you act like he'll be the one to save you from whoever you're running from." 

"He-" 

Khujesta's words were cut off as the door opened once more, a thin straggly man walking in and taking the seat opposite Khujesta, his own burly bodyguard taking an impassive stand behind him. 

"It's been along time, hasn't it Khuj?" 

"It has been Matt." 

"You know him?" Gene asked as he leaned forward. 

"This is the one you hired? A wise, but somewhat foolish choice." Matt said in a reserved voice. 

"What?!" 

"So have you heard about Arthur?" Khujesta said as she still Gene's explosive response. "And you that -" 

"Is out for our heads? I know; I can help but-" 

"I know, these things aren't cheap; how much wong will it be this time?" 

"Same as last time; pick up can be a different place." Matt ran a hand through his stringy hair. "It's too bad about Arthur; he was one of the brightest." 

"He was." Khujesta said as she shook her head. "But that is past us; how many are left now?" 

"Seven now; Mia was picked off as she made a run to her weapons supplier. She never knew what hit her." 

"Not Mia; she was the only who could reverse the behavioural patterns." 

"I know; we have a loose cannon." Matt paused for a minute as his body guard whispered something to him. "I'll be back in a minute; there's something that requires my attention." 

Gene watched as Matt walked out the room rapidly. "What was that all about?" he asked; the whole conversation seemed cut short and rather cryptic on his part. 

"Pray that you never find out Gene." she said in a low voice. "Some things are best left untouched by the hands of humans." 

Gene shrugged; it seemed impossible to get a straight answer from this woman and he wasn't inclined to start digging again; he remembered all the places that had taken him. The silence crawled through the room as the minutes were slowly ticked off by Khujesta's watch. Tiny dust motes dances upon the beams of light down to the stained table top and every once in awhile, Gene would look up, hearing a sound before he dismissed it, deeming it not a threat. 

"Do you hear that?" Khujesta asked as she rose slightly. "It sounds like singing." 

"I don't hear anything." Gene said as he looked around. 

"It's coming from the vent." she said, leaving her seat and starting for the grate. "It's so faint and lost. Do you think someone is trapped in there?" 

"No." Gene pulled her back. "I think you should tell me what it sounds like." 

"Like a little child singing. Like that song from long ago..." 

Gene suddenly fell all the hairs on the back of his neck rise suddenly; there was someone in that vent. He couldn't even voice his words before the grate burst open, a black figure slithering out. Gene pushed Khujesta to the door, pulling out his own gun and firing. He smiled as the bullets hit home, but it soon disappeared as the figure rose up, unhindered by the crippling blows to pull put an automatic, aiming right for them. Khujesta fell to the floor in the hallway as Gene took her down with him. A spray of bullets travelled over their heads, pitting the wall. Khujesta screamed as she covered her ears with her hands. Once the thundering sound stopped, Gene hauled her to her feet. 

"Run if you wanna live!" he ordered. 

Khujesta took off, slamming into the door and scrabbling with the handle. Gene pushed her aside and kicked it open before pulling her along behind him. They had barely cleared the way when another spray went after them. Gene paused, looking back as the figure walked out into the alleyway, the black trench coat swirling around them as they reloaded again, the sound of the clip clicking in. 

_'Eat this.'_ he thought as he unloaded the rest of the bullets at his opponent. "Get into the car!" he yelled at Khujesta who was hiding out behind a dumpster; the car was less than half a foot away from it. 

Looking back at his opponent, he could see the pools of blood running down the pants and boots to mix with the puddles, brownish red. He felt a small wave of hesitancy wash through him as the cold bluish lips smirked disdainfully before releasing the safety. 

Gene took off, jumping into the car and starting it. They roared out of the alleyway and up into the sky as bullets chased after them. He glanced back in the rear view mirror to see the shrinking figure, discard the gun and walk away, blood pooled into a singular red puddle. 

"Who the hell was that?" he yelled as they headed back to the shop. 

"That was who you were hired to protect me from Gene." Khujesta said as she loosened the collar of her shirt, breathing heavily. "It freaks me out every time." 

"Every time?! You mean this hasn't been the first?!" he felt like bringing the car to an immediate halt. 

"That was the sixth attempt on my life. I seem to have the Devil's luck." 

"Devil's luck my ass." Gene muttered darkly. "You're gonna explain everything or we terminate the contract as of today." 

"I can't; that would make things even worse for you. Then Styx would be out to get you and they have things you'd rather not see for yourself." Khujesta sat back into the chair, almost as if boneless. "But I shall tell you all I can when we arrive back." 

"No. Now before this person decides to pop out the trunk and finish what they started." 

Khujesta swallowed as Gene gave her a hard look. "Very well; you have earned that much." 

"How gracious of you; now talk before I die and not realize it." 

"Styx was formed in secret by the Kei Pirates way back when the XGP was built but remained one of their most top secret organizations. Just like the XGP Project, it combined the best talent that the scientists and Kei Pirates had to offer. Even when the Kei Pirates and scientists split afterwards, the few who still wanted the organization around kept it going, with some rather clandestine funding." 

"What does all of this have to do with now?" 

"I am getting there." Khujesta paused. "It was about ten years before the Leyline Incident that they started to tinker with things. And -" 

"What sort of things?" Gene asked; this history lesson was just like listening to Jim talk sometimes. Starting at the point that had virtually no relevancy to what he wanted to know. 

"You can't know yet. But it was during the Leyline Incident that things took a turn for the worse. One of the projects that was running went sour and backfired horribly. The lab went up in flames and the test subject had supposedly died." 

"And I'm guessing the person who just tried to kill you was the one who supposedly died?" 

"Yes." Khujesta remained silent, resting a hand on her stomach. "Perhaps you had better stop here. I don't feel so well." 

"Fine." Gene muttered, slamming on the brake. "Shit, the brakes have been cut!" 

He twisted the wheel, making the car spin around for a good five minutes before it came to a complete stop, thunking down to the ground heavily. He looked around as Khujesta dashed out of the car. _'We were so close to the shop too...'_ With a sigh, he got out of the car and walked over to Khujesta to see what she was doing. 

"Hey, are you OK?" he asked, seeing her doubled over. 

She turned and looked at him before bending over and promptly throwing up on his shoes. Gene threw up his hands with a curse; as if things weren't bad enough already. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


	4. Two: From Across the Way

A/N: Gomen nasai about the wait. I'm trying to make this a really good story so I'm not rushing on the chapters. And now to address what few reviews I got for this fic, which means all three chapters: 

Laughing Hyena: Does it really? I personally watched only half of it before I fell asleep in class and had to use a friend's notes to write an essay on cyberpunk or something or other. Should I take that as a compliment? 

Peridot Pooka: I'm pretty sure that the people reading this fic DO have a life that DOESN'T revolve around reading my stuff ya know!! Only YOU seem to do that! I highly doubt someone would commit suicide over waiting for a chapter. You damn bakana onna. ^^ And as to your "educational" purposes....ha! you can wait; that'll show ya!! 

Princess of the Darkside: Gomen, it's an 8 megabyte computer, not a six; happy? ^____^ 

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When you are poor enough, everything has some value. ~ Barbara Ann Porte 

Chapter Two   
From Across the Way 

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The door burst open with an angry slam, the black coated figure stalking in to the bathroom. "Fucking bullets." her voice was angry and vicious. 

Reaching into the medicine cabinet, slender thin fingers pulled out a medical kit, opening it as she took off her jacket. She seated herself on the toilet seat, her jacket coming off in a fluid motion followed by her shirt. A glance into the mirror showed the growing black blue spots from where the bullets hit her, the blood still spreading beneath the taut healed skin. 

"Thank you so much Styx." her voice was sarcastic as she dug out the scalpel and sliced open one of the spots; she had this regeneration ability no thanks to those soulless freaks. 

She glared at the box until she found the spoon shaped instrument. Twirling it around in her fingers, she positioned it over the opening and dug it in, searching for the bullet. After a few minutes, a wet popping sound was heard and the sharp clink of a bullet fell to the floor. She moved quickly now, getting a firm hold on herself and her instruments, bullets tinkling to the floor and lying there in a faint streaky puddle of blood. She leaned forward heavily once she was done, breathing hard as the open wounds on her upper shoulders, breasts and stomach started to close up slowly. Ten minutes later, she flexed the muscles, feeling them respond back without the slightest twinge of pain; the skin was as smooth as it had always been. Picking up her shirt and jacket, she walked out to her new temporary home. She had to travel far to get Arthur, but it had been easy as hell. Mai had been simple enough when she finally emerged from that impenetrable bunker she had hid out in. 

"Two gone; seven to go." she walked up to the wall she had plastered with pictures and bits of information; both of the pictures had a red 'x' across them. 

She draped her clothing on the ratty old couch arm, looking at the wall carefully. She picked up her jacket momentarily, digging around as she searched for something in a pocket. Finding it, she took it out and tacked it to the wall before stepping back and contemplating the picture. 

"Starwind." she said the name with the slightest bit of contempt; he was no match for her yet she had to admire the fact that he had put up a fight, a much better fight than the others. 

She would get Khujesta in good time, but for now, she would be content to let them worry for a bit; this was as much psychological as it was about making them suffers as she did, though it could never compare. She shivered suddenly, her flesh goose bumping rapidly as she brushed away the horrid memories; it was all Styx's fault, all their fault. They had to pay. Suddenly, she grabbed the dagger from her back sheathe and slammed it into the picture. She started at it, watching the blade quiver in the warm air before he stalked away, her entire body tensed in anger; Starwind was as good as dead to her if he proved himself to be more of a nuisance. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Jim sighed as Gene cursed loudly from underneath the car. "Gene, why don't you let me take a look at it?" 

"No. It's my car." 

"It's the company's car." Jim corrected him. "And you don't seem to know the first thing about what you're doing." 

"Oh." Gene slid out from underneath. "And I suppose you do?" 

"Yes, so get out of the way." Jim pushed him aside, quickly taking his place. "Someone has to in this place." he muttered. 

"What was that?" 

"Nothing, nothing." Jim said hastily. "You know, you've been in an awful mood since you got back with Khujesta a few days ago." it had puzzled him; Gene had, uncharacteristically, not ranted about what happened this time around; he'd walked in, clearly in a bad mood, and hadn't talked to anyone in a few days; not even Melfina. 

"Well maybe if you saw what I saw, you think twice about things!" 

"Sorry." Jim said in an exasperated voice. "Forgive me for being seventeen. Am I still to young to know these kinds of things?" he stared up trying to see properly before he reached up and flicked on the light. "Damn it. Gene, why didn't you just tell me the brake lines have been cut?" 

"You didn't ask." 

"Funny; did you stop to think if we have money to pay for this?" 

"It comes from somewhere. Plus Khujesta's going to pay us." 

"Going to." he slid back out, wiping the grease off his hands. "We've only got a small down payment. We get the rest once we see her through this thing." 

"And that's what's starting to worry me. What if we don't." 

"What are you talking about?" 

"When I went out with Khujesta, someone tried to kill her." 

"Did you get a good look?" 

"No. I was kinda busy trying to live." Gene sighed as he ran a hand through his hair before crossing his arms. "I unloaded an entire clip at her and she still didn't stop." 

"Wait a minute. You used every single bullet you had and they hit her? And she still kept coming?" Jim looked slightly sceptical. "What are we dealing with here? A mechanically enhanced human?" 

"I don't know Jim. And she won't talk." he motioned with is head towards the seat where Khujesta was fast asleep. "She just decided that throwing up on my shoes would be a better idea." 

Jim couldn't help but snicker at the look on Gene's face. "Uh huh. I'm going out for brake cables. Make sure nothing happens while I'm gone." 

"What could happen?" Gene asked. "Maybe pigs will fly. Or maybe this will assassin will show back up." 

Jim watched as Gene's hand scratched his hip. _'He wants to use his Caster.'_ Shaking his head, Jim headed for the door. "I'll be back Mel!" he called out loudly; he was pretty sure she was in the back...somewhere. 

Hearing her reply back, he grabbed some money from his desk as he walked by and headed out. It was a nice day for a walk. There was a cool breeze, pushing along the few clouds in the sky. Smiling, he walked along, hands in his pockets; it wasn't often that he had a moment's quiet to himself. He made it to the store, looking around before he found what he was looking for. He was coming back out of the store when he paused; someone was watching him. Looking around quickly, he noticed the figure leaning against the wall on the opposite side of the street. All he could see was that long black coat that brushed against ankles, sleeves that hid hands and a long curtain of black hair completed the dark feminine look. He took an involuntary step back as the face looked up suddenly, the brilliant green eyes flickering around until they settled on him. He found himself staring back; why did he feel as if he knew her already? He took a step forward, heading towards her. She took a step back as her face went paler than before, disbelief written all over it. Jim was about to say something when she turned and took off down an alleyway, her coat making a scraping sound as it brushed against the wall. Jim sighed and turned to leave when he caught a glimmer of gold on the ground by the puddle. 

"What's this?" he walked over and bent down to pick it up. 

The link chain gleamed softly in the palm of his hand, the cool red stone at the end a gentle weight. _'Interesting...'_ he stared at it a bit longer before he glanced in the alleyway; not a soul was there. Shrugging, he put it in his pocket and started back towards the office. _'Jade.'_

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The moonlight streamed in as she peered into through the windows. No one could be seen anywhere. She tugged against the end experimentally; it rose up a few inches. Slowly, she eased it up until it was wide enough for her to slip in through. Her entire body was motionless as her eyes adjusted to the dark; a vast room revealed itself, sounds of someone sleeping on the upper level evident from the snores echoing around. Slinking through the shadows, she silently made her way up the stairs. 

_'That's it? Where's the guy from earlier?'_ She started to make her way back down. Finding Starwind fast asleep with a blanket that was in danger of exposing other parts of him was not on her wish list. She had just started down the stairs when, hearing a sound from the hallway, she melted back into the shadows, watching from her vantage point. 

Bright light flooded the area as the sound of glass clinking was followed by a pouring sound. Leaning out slightly, she watched the dirty blond head go back as they drank down the contents of the glass and dump it in the sink. _'After all this time...'_ She couldn't stop the faint wistful smile from coming to her face. Once darkness came again, she made her way down the stairs, following after him; there was no way she was letting that jade necklace get away from her so easily, not after how she got it. 

Resting her hand on the doorknob, she twisted it open before she slid in searching for the little disc. She froze for a minute as she saw him fast asleep in the bed; even now he still had the same innocent look about him when he slept. She brushed the sentiments aside; she was here for one thing only. She searched his entire room quickly enough, irrational anger mounting as she found it to be nowhere. _'What if he...'_ She glanced back at the bed. _'Does he?'_ She walked over, pulling back the blanket just enough to reveal his hands, the chain of her necklace intertwined in his fingers. _'Same as always...'_ With a gentle touch, she disentangled the chain from his fingers before she slipped it back onto her neck. Pausing by the bedside, she gazed down at his face before she crouched down, studying it more carefully. It has hanged drastically from when she last saw him; she almost didn't recognize him, but when she did it was much like a slap to the face. 

"But are you still the same?" she murmured softly as she brushed his bangs back from his face and leaving her hand to rest on his cheek. 

Her heart constricted tightly as a soft sleepy smile came to his face, such a childlike, innocent smile. She felt like a criminal, the life she was living in the shadows. But it was the life that she had, the best she could make from the situation she found herself in at such a young age. She drew back reluctantly, walking to the door and not looking back. 

"What's this?" her eyes were drawn to the strip of light that beamed out from beneath a closed door. 

Walking up to it, she opened it a crack; there sat Khujesta, studying something in front of her. Her eyes narrowed as she weighed the urge to kill her now as opposed to killing her later. A smirk came to her face as something else occurred to her. Bending down, she put it in place and soon enough she was sliding out of the window, heading for the rat hole she was staying in temporarily. It would have been nice to see Khujesta's face later on when she discovered her little gift. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A loud scream woke Gene up from a sound sleep. It was actually what made him fall out of bed, gun drawn and ready as he looked around with clearing vision. 

"Damn it." he groaned as he ran down the stairs, tumbling over the couch as he headed for Khujesta's room. "What is it?" 

He looked down as Khujesta pointed to the floor with a trembling finger to the object at her feet. "This is it? This is what you're so worked up about?" he bent down and picked it up. "This silly little....thing?" 

"Si-Silly little thing?" Khujesta managed to choke out. "Don't you get it? She was here last night. I'm not safe here anymore. I have to leave..." 

"Gene, what's this fuss about?" Jim asked opening the door as he rubbed his eyes. "Who screamed?" 

"Who else?" he replied with a roll of his eyes as he spied Melfina come out from her bedroom. "Over this." 

"Hey, cool. A miniature lyre." he plucked it from Gene's hands. "Where did you get it from?" 

"It was sitting right here in front of Khujesta's door." Gene clicked the safety on his gun with a frown before he faced Khujesta. "Look, I'd appreciate it if you didn't scream like that so early in the morning." 

"I you knew what that....thing meant, you'd be like me at the moment!" Khujesta started to chew on her fingernail anxiously. "Where to go, whereto go. Far away of course but how far is far and what's safe enough....where to...." 

Gene watched as Khujesta closed the door to her room slowly, before he looked at Jim. "For once, I'm starting to wish you talked me out of this one." 

"Huh?" Jim looked up from study the little ornament. "Hey, you said it yourself, we need the money." 

Cocking his head slightly, Gene looked at Jim as he turned the lyre over in his hands. He seemed oddly happy for some reason today. "Did you sleep well Jim?" 

"Very well actually. Why do you ask?" 

"No reason." Gene frowned as he walked off to the kitchen; what happened to the somewhat cranky morning Jim? 

"What's wrong Gene?" Melfina asked as she came into the kitchen. 

"Does Jim seem unusually happy to you?" he asked, staring out the window in thought. 

"He woke up happy for once Gene." Melfina said, making a cup of tea. "Leave him be. If I remember, you don't always wake up with a smile on your face." 

Gene gave a small snort as he crossed his arms. "Still odd if you ask me." 

"Pessimist." Melfina said in a teasing tone as she walked by him and made her way to the couch. 

Shaking his head, Gene gazed out the window, mind thinking. What could be so terrifying about that little lyre? It was only an instrument and nothing more. He turned his head to see Jim come shuffling out, playing with the toy in his hands. Gene frowned as he watched Jim seat himself down beside Melfina, the smile still on his face. His eyes flickered to the lyre, studying it more carefully. The tiny strings were strung out taut, the bar across them connecting the opposite curling poles. A large orb covered its lower half, gleaming with a dark reddish brown in the sunlight. _'What was it about that damn thing?'_ He looked up to see Jim looking back, a huge smile now on his face. He gave a brief smile before he stalked back up to his bed. Falling back with a loud sigh, he stared up at the ceiling. _'Look on the bright side Gene; you now owe Fred less.'_

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


	5. Three: Stab In The Back

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Friends may come and go, but enemies accumulate. ~ _Thomas Jones_

Chapter Three   
Stab In The Back 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The busy launch port swirled with noise as well as travellers from near and far. She weaved her way through the crowd, not hesitating to shove harshly with her shoulder. A faint trail of loud indignation followed her as she made her way to the ramshackle section of hangars in the back. They may be used for spare parts but she knew what else lay there. 

"Where are you?" she called loudly as she barged into one of the more derelict ones. 

Silence echoed out through area, dust streaming down the faint dirty beams of sunlight that made it through the filthy windows. She weaved her way through the mazelike grounds until she found a door. Kicking it open, she narrowed her eyes as the man behind the desk scrambled up from underneath it. 

"Oh...I d-d-didn't he-hear you co-come in." he stammered as he ran a hand through his matted blond hair. "What can I do for you?" he managed to get the last part out evenly albeit squeaky and high pitched with fear. 

"I want my ship ready to go in the next forty five minutes. Any delays had better have a good explanation." 

"Ye-Yes." he said eagerly nodding his head. 

"Because you know what happens when you give me an unacceptable explanation?" she grabbed his throat and slammed him against the wall. His failure still wasn't past her. 

"I know," he croaked. "I would never try that with you." 

"Good, I should hope not. We don't want a repeat of last time now do we? You couldn't even keep them there long enough like I wanted." she tightened her grip a bit. 

He thrashed as he clutched at her hand, heels making the wall vibrate. "Let me go please, I'll do-" 

"You are starting to disappoint me." she stated in a cold voice. 

The man's face went deathly white as his eyes grew large before squeezing shut. She sniffed, smelling a sudden acrid odour. When she looked down and saw the puddle of yellowish liquid on the floor, she let go, leaving the man to drop into the puddle. 

"Disgusting, have some control over yourself." she said as she walked away. "Forty five minutes." 

"Forty five minutes," he coughed out as he clutched at his throat. "I got ya." 

She walked away quickly, weaving her way through the large parts. When she spotted the door, she paused seeing shadows come up in the longish rectangle on the ground. Muttering a faint curse, she ducked back into the maze, making for the secondary exit at the back. 

"Hello? Are you here Matt?" 

She gritted her teeth as Khujesta's voice echoed out through the ceiling. She made it to the emergency exit and pushed it open; the alarm didn't work on this door anyhow. Once she stepped outside, she froze seeing a pair of blue eyes that found hers. The door fell shut with a heavy thud but they still didn't move until one of them broke the silence. 

"What are you doing here?" 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Khujesta pushed aside a small piece of rusting metal. "Matt, I just heard a door, where are you?" she looked over at Gene. 

"What do you expect me to do about it?" he asked, crossing his arms, irritated by her expectant expression. "I'm here to protect you, not make the moron answer you." 

"Back here." came a somewhat faint response. 

"Took the idiot long enough." Gene muttered. _'We got paid again, and this is my job. One more like this and we'll be debt free...if I'm not already dead.'_ He looked up at the tall stacks of parts as Khujesta walked through them quickly. "Good idea. One of these may 'accidentally' fall over." 

"My sentiments exactly." Khujesta murmured. "And it's...dear God Matt, what happened?" 

Gene looked up sharply as they came out into the space at the back. There was a questionable yellow puddle on the floor, while Matt was standing there in not so clean looking boxers with a sheepish and angry look on his face. 

"Some dog made it in here and took a piss. Guess what I slipped in." he said in a hurt voice as his fist clenched the bunched up pants in his hands. "And this was my spare pair." 

"Don't worry about it; I'm sure there's something that you can wear in here." Khujesta said. "Let's go in the office and talk." 

Gene wrinkled his nose at the smell; he may not know where his next pay was coming from but at least his underwear was clean. Hs paused by the wall, noticing a ridged imprint, like little valleys...no, more like knuckles. He rubbed his finger against it lightly, small flecks drifting down to the floor. 

"Hey Matt," he said, walking in. "Did the dog punch your wall as well as piss on your floor?" 

"Gene!" Khujesta said in a shocked tone. "He's not-" 

"Can't answer?" he said, cutting off Khujesta as he gave Matt an intent look. 

"No. I-That's been there since I set up shop here." Matt's face burned bright red with humiliation. 

Gene simply gave a huff and leaned against the wall as Khujesta and Matt talked. There was no way something like that was there for awhile. Having given and taken enough punches, he knew something fresh when he saw it. That had to have happened a few minutes ago. It was bad enough that they were heading up to space, but to go into space with the help of a man who was starting to become highly questionable? That wasn't going to happen if he had anything to say about it. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"I could say the same for you." 

She paused at his quiet words. "Why are you back here in the alley?" 

"Keeping watch for anyone who may come out." his lips twitched slightly. "And it seems that someone did." 

"Don't get cute." she suddenly said in a choked voice; how much it was like before, only then it was much more innocent. "Too cute for your own good." she muttered. 

"Uptight." he responded back automatically with a smile that came and went. "What were you doing in there anyways?" 

"Is this an interrogation?" she fought to gain control; he probably never realized what he just did. 

"No. Just wondering what a pretty girl's doing here of all places, that's all." 

"Now you're trying to hit on me?" 

"No, no." he suddenly became very flustered and shook his head and hands. "I didn't mean that!" he had a nervous laugh. 

She paused looking at him as chaotic emotions started to roil inside her. His laughter mingled with hers, the piggy back rides, the Thanksgiving dinners of regimented and boring gruel, then the fire, the... She broke into a run, knocking him to the ground as hot tears started to sting here eyes. His voice was faint as he called after her. Ignoring it, she continued to run, making her way to the main launch hangar. There at the end was her ship, the black paint gleaming pristinely under the bright fluorescent lights. His voice came from behind her, making her redouble her efforts to run. She didn't want to deal with this, with him, now; she couldn't, not when she was like this. She slammed her hand against the console, making the door open. She ran in and shut the door, leaning against it as the tears started to slide down her face. 

"Hey, come on. I didn't mean to upset you. I'm sorry. Could you come out of there?" his voice was faint, not broken by any banging against the door. 

She closed her eyes and walked away, her heart feeling as if it was bleeding inside; for so long she worked on making herself cold and impenetrable as ice. Now in one meeting, one short conversation, he managed to make it through and make her feel horrible. He made her feel again and she never wanted to do that again. 

"I'll give you credit though, you kept up with me and no one's done that before." she wiped the tears away and made her way up to the cockpit. 

She wiped away the stray tears that fell and started up the computer before she hacked her way into the launch schedule, slating her ship up next. A few minutes later, she felt the familiar tug and bump as the ship was pulled out. Bright sunlight flooded the cockpit as she buckled herself up and took hold of the steering wheels. 

"All right you are clear for launch." came the automated sounding voice. 

"Roger that." she said. 

It seemed incredibly hard to even make herself guide the ship through the atmosphere and into space. She was leaving him down there, again; how could she do that? Had she become so - 

"Damn him," she angrily spat. "Look how he's messed me up. I don't need him after all, and I don't need these wretched feelings. " 

She made the sleek vessel blast through the vacuum towards her destination as she gunned the engine. With the Styx conference in a few days, she had some work to do. But she could still hear Jim's voice in her mind, the lone word echoing around tauntingly. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Gene gave a sigh of irritation as Khujesta started to wheedle another deal out of Matt; so far, he had flatly refused every single thing she had brought to the table. "This has been real nice," he began, grasping Khujesta's arm firmly. "But we must be off. Later moron." 

"Gene, what are you doing?" Khujesta demanded as she was dragged along behind Gene through the maze and towards the door. 

"Ending this." he hissed. "I am done dealing with that guy in any way. I didn't trust him before and I really don't trust him now! If you want to go to the damn conference on Blue Heaven then we'll go! " 

"Gene, this is ridiculous; Matt has helped me from day one." 

"You mean helped himself and probably whoever tried to kill you and me. Let's see if Jim has anything interesting to say." 

Gene walked outside, hearing a banging noise get louder and louder every time. When he walked outside, he found Jim kicking an upturned trashcan on the ground, the large dent visible from where he was. He paused for a few minutes watching before he walked up to Jim and turned him around. Jim stopped before he turned back around and gave the can a final kick. 

"What was that about?" 

"I messed up." he muttered. "There was this girl who came out the door." 

"A girl in black?" 

"Yeah. Black hair, green eyes, white skin." 

"Where did she go?" Gene grabbed hold of Jim's shoulders as if he was going to shake him. 

"She's right up there." Jim said pointing to the sky. 

Gene looked up to see a black ship disappear behind a cloud and not reappear. "Damn it! How did that happen Jim? You were supposed to stop her!" 

"Stop her?! I could barely keep up with her! She runs too fast. Like she-" 

"She does have enhanced muscle structure." Khujesta said in a somewhat timid voice. "Does that help?" 

"No, it doesn't." Jim said in tight voice. "But I know where she is heading anyways as well as her ship's name and registry number." 

"Good work." Gene said as he ran a hand through his hair. "Where do we have to go after this damn conference?" he shot Khujesta a look. 

"That's the thing Gene." Jim grinned slightly. "We both have the same destination." 

"Even better, that means less fuel money." Gene said thoughtfully. "What's her ship registry number and name?" 

"VSR-686," Jim paused. "Ship's name is-" 

"The Serpentis." 

"Serpentis." Jim corrected. "Does that mean something to you?" 

"Uh, no, not at all." Khujesta said quickly as she pulled on Gene's shirt. "The sooner we go and get what, or who, else needs to come on the trip, we can get going." 

Gene nodded and started after Khujesta. Not noticing Jim beside him, he looked back. Jim was gazing up in the sky, where the Serpentis had been. 

"Jade..." Jim's word was faint and barely heard. 

He didn't say anything as Jim fell in step beside him and remained silent. Now wasn't exactly the time for words between them. 


	6. Four: Blue Heaven

A/N: This chapter is a whopping 6 pages of non-crap!! You know what I really hate, even though the food was really good? When I'm on a writing streak and either my mom or my father calls me for dinner. T_T 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

_Knowledge is power. ~ **Sir Francis Bacon (1561 - 1626); Religious Meditations Of Heresies, 1597**_

Chapter Four   
Blue Heaven 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

She sighed as she remained seated in her small corner of the bar. It hadn't taken her long to reach Blue Heaven, and all she needed now was a drink. And it would appear that her waitress was taking forever with that simple order. _'You think a snooty place like this could afford to hire decent help now.'_ She looked around distastefully at the décor of the room; it was far too bright and cheery for her taste. But this place had a reputation for serving the best culinary delights that Blue Heaven had, as well as being a hotspot for the scientists attending the conference. 

"All right. Here's your order. A glass of whiskey and the crab special. Personally," the girl leaned in. "I think you should have gone with the lobster." 

She looked at the girl more carefully, taking in the cat ears peeking out from blondish hair and the sharp claws on her fingers. "Because you're a Ctarl-Ctarl?" she looked away dismissively, focusing on her food. "I've eaten worse." 

She ignored the indignant huff the girl made before she stalked off; steam would have shot out of her ears if that were possible. She ate in silence, taking a drink every once in awhile, listening to the sounds of conversation around her. It was all useless prattle; who was working on what project, who had quit and who had been promoted. She was finishing up when she heard a snippet that caught her attention from the table behind her. 

"So you think Khujesta will show up for this event?" 

"She most likely will. I mean she is still considered Styx's leading scientist. No one knows what really happened to her though. She pops up every once in awhile and leaves. And when she does show up in the buildings, she always leaves with 8-P666." 

"8-P666? Why would she need that? Is she-" 

"I don't think so. I mean she doesn't need the extension. She's pretty young, and that stuff is highly experimental. I mean-" 

"Yeah I know. Just a bit over and it's all over." 

She smiled to herself; the properties of 8-P666 weren't lost to her. In fact, they might make things even easier for her. Rising quickly, she exited the restaurant, pausing outside to slide on her shades. The lights of this place hurt here eyes for some reason. She glanced back into the restaurant, noticing the figure seated in the far corner, the long blue hair hiding the face. He looked like… _'Can't be. He died on that alien planet when he and his brother went after them.'_ She continued on down the street, ignoring the people who refused to move for her. She most certainly didn't want to remember him or his little perverse fascination with Styx's android. It was too disturbing for her taste. 

"Now, all I must do is wait," she said to herself. "Then, you will finally be mine Khujesta." 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Look lady, you are really starting to get on my nerves." Gene growled as they took the elevator out of the XGP. "For once, on this whole trip, could you just be quiet?!" 

Khujesta pouted sullenly. "Fine." 

Jim looked between the two of them. "At least the two of you agree on that." 

"Jim, perhaps if I took Gene and you took Khujesta, we could do this faster?" Melfina asked. 

"Good idea Mel." Jim said as the elevator touched down. "Come on Khujesta!" 

"Thank you." Khujesta said in a weary voice. "He seems to only irritate me." 

"Gene can be like that sometimes. I think he's just rattled and anxious." Jim said as he watched Gene and Melfina disappear into the crowd. "The first place we're going to go, La Fleur Rouge." 

"La Fleur Rouge. I haven't been there in a while." Khujesta said in a wistful voice. "But we aren't going for the food are we?" 

"No. To talk to an old friend." Jim said. "Maybe you know of her? Aisha Clan Clan?" 

"Oh yes. That rash and somewhat hot-headed Ctarl-Ctarl officer?" 

"That's her." Jim said with a laugh. "Though she might object to that description." 

"And what is she doing at La Fleur Rouge?" 

"How am I supposed to know? I just know that she is." Jim shrugged. 

They didn't say anything else as they hurried through the crowded streets. After a few minutes , Jim could see the large, somewhat tawdry, red neon rose that was the sign. Once they arrived at the restaurant, Jim started in but found himself stopped by the maitre d'. He scowled up at the man. 

"I am sorry Monsieur, but do you have an appointment?' 

"He's with me Jacques." 

"Ah, Mademoiselle Khujesta. Right this way. Will you have your usual place?" 

"Actually no. We need to talk to an employee. An Aisha Clan-Clan?" 

"Oh. Her. One moment." 

"Snob." Jim muttered as he watched the man leave. "Is he always like that?" 

"Always. You learn to put up with it." Khujesta said. "And speaking of said person…" 

Jim looked up seeing the man come back, his friend behind him. "Hey Aisha!" 

"Jim! What are you doing here? Want some bad French food?" 

Jim smiled at the snort Jacques made. "Actually, we wanted to talk to you in private." 

"All right. I'll be back Jacques." she said as she headed for the door. 

"Like your new job?" Jim asked once they were outside the door. 

"I hate it. That jerk in there doesn't make it any easier. But I gotta eat you know." she shrugged. "At least I haven't dropped any dishes this week." 

"With all those people here for the conference?" Jim looked slightly astounded. "And we all remember your last time waitressing." 

"I've gotten better at it," she said with a proud smirk. "So what can I help you with?" 

"We have a new job that is paying well and one hell of a target that annoying Gene more than he cares to admit." 

"Gene? Annoyed with a target?!" Aisha looked at Jim astounded before she broke out laughing. "This I need to see. Hang on a sec." 

Jim watched as she darted back inside and tossed her apron to Jacques and strolled back out. "You quit?" 

"I was thinking about joining you guys again anyways." Aisha stretched. " So who's this chick?" 

"This is Khujesta, our client." Jim said, stressing the last word. 

"Oh. So you're the one taking that stuff." 

"I beg your pardon?" Khujesta looked mildly surprised. 

"You know, that stuff those other scientists talk about all the time. 8-P6-" 

"Interesting. That is called a rumour. I don't take that substance." Khujesta said curtly. 

"Sorry. From the way that girl was paying attention, I figured you were." 

"Girl, what girl?" Jim asked, stopping Aisha. 

"Some girl who was in earlier in the day. She was so rude too you know. She called me a Ctarl-Ctarl like it was a bad thing." 

"She does have a knack for offending people." Khujesta said in a quiet voice. I have been on the receiving end of it once." she explained quickly. 

"All right. Now let's find Gene and see if we can figure out a way to find this person." Jim said as they started walking again. "The sooner, the better if you ask me." 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

She peered over the edge of the building's roof; it was a straight drop down, broken only by a flagpole. She scrutinized it more carefully, measuring the thickness; it should be good enough for her purposes. She sat back down, the gravel shifting with a crunching noise underneath her bottom. She took out her dagger and tested its edge against her finger. A thin line of blood came only to disappear abruptly as it healed. _'Knife is sharp…'_ She took the loop of rope from her side and cut off an end before she rose and tied it to the old chimneystack securely. Looping it underneath her upper legs, she jumped out and started walking down the side of the building; she was even more glad that this place was out in a fairly run down section of Blue Heaven; no one bothered much if a random gunshot was heard. 

"Hm." she frowned as she looped extra rope around the flagpole and continued on; why did she suddenly feel as if she was walking into a trap. 

She continued one, brushing it off; there wasn't anything she couldn't fight her way out of. She slowed down as she came closer to the window; she knew Khujesta was on this floor somewhere. She peered into the first window: a man scribbling frantically on a piece of paper. She jumped across to the next window: no lights on. She strained her eyes, seeing a still figure in the bed: not Khujesta. Hopping across to the third window, she came across a couple who were, rather enthusiastically, banging each other's brains out and creating quite a racket with the headboard. 

"Shut up over there!! Some people are trying to sleep!!" 

She smile dot herself as she quickly hopped over to the next window and peered in carefully. There was Khujesta and Melfina, the former with a very irritated expression on her face while Melfina was trying her best to read a book peacefully and ignore all the noise. She hovered about the window, as Khujesta gave a sigh of disgust and flopped down in the chair. 

Every once in awhile, she would peep in, seeing Khujesta's hand start to shake slightly. When Khujesta finally rose and excused herself to go to the bathroom, she smiled to herself and let the rope go from underneath her legs, standing freely on the side, hanging by the rope. Now she s imply had to wait until they went it sleep and all was well. _'I guess that Ctarl-Ctarl went with Starwind and Jim.'_ It was somewhat hard to miss the tall ex-Ctarl-Ctarl officer as well as Gene's unique face. She hung there for a while, glancing at the green display on her watch. Finally, as the clock started to read twelve thirty six a.m., the lights finally went off. She waited for another hour, before she moved. Twisting the rope around her waist, she lowered herself to the window and raised it up slowly before she slipped in through the small space. 

The leather of her boots creaked softly as she made her way to the bathroom. _'Where'd you put it? I know you wouldn't leave it out in the open like that.'_ She started to search through the bathroom before she paused. With a disgusted mutter at herself, she went to the toilet and lifted off the top. Sitting there at the bottom of the tank were a few vials of 8-P666, cool and unspoiled with a fluorescent blue. _'You idiot.'_ She reached in and took them all out in a scoop, placing them in her pocket. _'Let's see how you survive without this. The Styx branch here doesn't carry it and you'll need it when you wake up.'_ She smirked to herself; for once, she wasn't creating a problem. It wasn't her fault that Khujesta had developed a- 

"What was that?" she tensed, hearing a rustle come from the next room. 

Her hand strayed to the dagger she had on her side now as she eased her way to the door and peered out. There was absolutely nothing out there that she could see. She sniffed, smelling the air; something was off. It was fairly cleans with a hint of some light perfume. Now there was something muskier that underlay it. She didn't pause, running for the window and wrenching it up. She pulled herself to the roof with the rope. It flew up into her hands as she hauled it up and coiled it in less than a second, jamming it onto her belt. 

She turned around to run but stopped short seeing his figure. The same long blue haired man from the restaurant. "What do you want with me?" 

"I think you know that as well as I do." his voice was calm and collected. 

"Hm. And you think you'll succeed where he failed?" she couldn't stop the curl in her lips. "Humans at this stage of their evolutionary development are pitifully weak." 

"He wasn't weak." 

"He was an android. Just like her, they were one and the same." she didn't bother to hide the contempt in voice. 

"But I am the original." his hand made a slight creaking sound as he tighten his hand around his weapon. 

She narrowed her eyes before she darted forward, dagger whipped out and coming in for a low strike. He blocked it with the muzzle of his gun. Her other hand snapped out a palm dagger and sunk it into his shoulder. With a growl, he cocked the gun and fired directly at her midsection. She crumpled to the ground a pool of blood growing beneath her. 

"Good thing I brought that medical kit." he groaned as he walked to the other side of the building. 

She stirred after a few minutes, rising slowly, murder in her eyes. She hated it when she was shot in the midsection. She didn't wait, springing into a full run before she jumped. She watched as he looked around puzzled for a split second before the shock kicked in. She gave a yell just as she was about to hit him, making him look up. The roofing gave out beneath him from the force, leaving them to fall in a dusty bruised heap on a floor. 

"Fuck." she cursed as she felt the crunch of glass beneath her, the bright blue fluorescent liquid leaking out and seeping into her wound. 

"Oh my God, you took it!!" 

She looked up sharply as she heard Khujesta's shrill scream. Now was as good a time as any. She lunged for her only to be flung back into the wall sharply. 

"Stay out of this. It is none of your business what I do." she snarled as she charged at him viciously; she wouldn't lose with her target so close. 

"I beg…to…differ!" he grunted as he fired off the shots. 

She still didn't stop as the bullets lodged themselves in her shoulder and leg, kicking the gun up out of his hands and onto the roof. She grabbed him by the neck and slammed his head through a wall. When she pulled it back through, a trail of blood leaked from his nose down his dusty face. 

"And what's to stop me from killing you now, like I did to Ed." 

"Don't you talk of him that way." he growled in a low voice as he tried to pry her finger off. 

"Does it bother you? Then should I talk about what I did to Ron? How would that make you feel?" she chuckled to herself as Melfina gave a shocked gasp; that was an even better reaction than she had hoped for. "Aw…I'm sorry, did I ruin it for you?" 

"All right you, let him go!" 

She turned her head slowly to find Jim holding Aisha back while Gene pointed a gun at her - his Caster gun to be more precise. She narrowed her eyes in anticipation. "Or you'll do what Gene Starwind? Kill me?" 

"I'm warning you…" he muttered as his finger constricted imperceptibly. 

She simply sneered at him, tightening her hold on his throat. 

"You asked for it Lady!" 

"No, don't!" 

The faint hoarse words were lost in the sound of the energy ball hitting the girl and flinging her out of the window. 

"Jade!" 

Gene looked back to see Jim take off down the hallway. "Aisha, stay here with Melfina and our…Harry look-alike." 

Gene took off after Jim. _'Blasted kid; he knows more than he's letting on.'_ He tore down the stairwell, occasionally banging into the banister. When he finally reached the street, with aching knees and ribs, he paused, seeing the strangest thing. The girl was still lying there in the street, only now, Jim was crouched down in front of her; and she was fully healed, with no gaping hole in her midsection. It looked he was murmuring something to her and she was looking at him warily but with a light of trust in her eyes. She reached out to touch his face hesitantly before her eyes flickered up and locked with his. Immediate anger crashed through them as she scrambled up and took off down the street, her feet splashing in the puddles becoming fainter and fainter. 

"Jesus Gene. You have the worst timing. I was about to convince her that we weren't gonna do anything bad to her!" Jim looked more than a little irked. 

"Oh, I'm so sorry to break up your little lovey dovey moment!" Gene snapped back. "If I didn't come down sooner, I'd expect to find you two kissing and making out like hormonal teenagers!" 

"What the hell do you mean by that?" Jim asked, his face flushing a bright red. "Like you're one to talk. But for once I don't' find you following after some woman!" 

"She's our problem Jim! It doesn't help if you make googly eyes at her!" 

"You think she's the problem!" Jim retorted finally as his patience snapped. "Ever notice something Gene? No? Hm…let's take a closer look, shall we? Khujesta comes from Styx. Jade comes fro Styx somehow, we don't know exactly what yet. Oh, and let's not forget this lovely conference that's being held here; again by Styx!! Styx is always a problem for us now. And fifty bucks says that the guy she was fighting, he was from Styx too!" 

Gene glared down at his blond haired associate. "Fine. We'll look at it from your angle. But next time that girl rears her head, she's not getting anything from me." he started to walk away. 

"Gene wait!" Jim called after him. 

"What?" 

"We do need to find out why your Caster gun didn't injure her as you expected it would." 

Gene looked back at Jim before he smiled with a shake of his head. He had to admit, the kid had grown a lot in five years. "I'm on it." 


	7. Five: 8P666

A/N: Yeah, I know it's been a LONG while for this fic. But I have a bit more free time - in between going down to the university and filling out bursary applications - so I can focus a bit more on my fanfiction writing. And you might have some questions about things. Read on and you're gonna get some answers....and some more questions. ^_^ 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Be sure your sin will find you out. ~ **_Bible, Numbers 32:23_**

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Chapter Five - P-18666

"Ah, going back to Tenrei," Aisha smiled as she folded her arms behind her head. "Can't say that I'm complaining." 

"Yeah, you aren't." Gene grumbled. "I have to do work again." 

Jim chuckled. "Oddly enough, you do more work when we're on Tenrei more than any place else." 

"That's a news flash." Gene rolled his eyes. "Mel, how much longer is this trip going to be?" 

"Approximately three and a half hours left Gene." Melfina chuckled slightly. "Want to get off the ship that much?" 

"You bet. I'm tired of dealing with that wretched woman and her constant demands. She's like a fucking harpy. 'Gene, you're not doing it right!' or, "Gene, you should have listened to me!' She's annoying as hell when she's awake. Thank God she's asleep now." 

Gene scowled darkly as he sighed and sagged back into his seat. All this running around was merely to just get some simple answers reminded him of the whole Leyline adventure they had gone on. Of course he had to admit that going back to Tenrei and not being able to enjoy some of its benefits wasn't doing much to help his current mood. 

"Well, at least I know it's not my charming personality that you're trying to escape Gene." Gillam said as he floated in. 

"You're here. That means you either want something or have something for me to so," Gene mumbled. "What is it?" 

"Well, our 'friend' is getting somewhat impatient in his cell." Gilliam said. 

"He's right." Melfina said. "I can hear him down there. He's not too happy. He has been there for the week Gene. Perhaps now is that time to go and talk to him." 

Gene muttered a curse and rolled his eyes as he rose easily, stretching his arms. "Come on Jim, we're finally gonna have a talk with our Harry look-a-like. Think he's stewed long enough." 

"All right Gene. Cover for me Aisha." Jim said as he hurried from his seat. 

Gene started walking down the hallway, fingering the butt of his Caster gun. "Do you want to do the talking?" 

"That might be best," Jim paused, glancing at the Caster. "Besides, you have better aim than me." 

"True enough." Gene laughed as he started down the ladder to the second level below. "And this guy is bound to try and pull something." 

Jim's lips quirked for a second but he didn't say anything. Gene looked at him from the corner of his eye before he reached over and rumpled his hair. Jim smacked his hand away with a laugh. A few moments later, they stood outside the cabin door, trying to sober up their expressions. 

"You sure you're up to this?" Gene asked. 

"Positive. I want to know why Khujesta is in a bigger mess than she's letting on." 

Gene smiled and nodded as he unlocked the door and opened it. The room was plain and rather small with only a bed jutting out from the wall, a small shelf and a toilet near the foot of the bed. The lights in the room were on low, creating pockets of shadow all around. Gene walked in warily, watching the hunched figure seated on the bed. The door closed, Jim walking up closer to the man, his blue hair painfully clear to see. He rested his hand on the butt of the gun, ready to draw and fire in a moment's notice. The man's voice was so quiet that he almost didn't notice it. 

"I was starting to think that I'd need my own company. I'm not exactly in the habit of talking to myself." 

Jim glanced back at Gene before he regarded the man in front of him. Whoever he was, he was the spitting image of Harry MacDougall. The hair, the eyes, the posture, even the way he was now casually brushing a lock of his hair behind his shoulder, it was all Harry MacDougall. The man rose easily enough, startling Gene and Jim with his height. He was taller than Gene by at least a good five inches. He may have looked like Harry MacDougall, but he certainly didn't have his height. 

"So," Jim said, his eyes never leaving the man's. "We'll start with simplicities. Name?" 

"Sebastian. Sebastian Delacour." Sebastian gave a slight bow. 

"Hm. Do you realise something about your…'appearance'?" 

"I'm the spitting image of Harry MacDougall." Sebastian's lips twisted into a weird smile. "I've been told that far too frequently; I don't need to be reminded of that again. All of this is not the work of some plastic surgeon." 

"So you're just another cyborg, then? Or an android?" 

Sebastian shook his head. "Believe it or not, I am not the copy. He was." 

That made Gene grasp the hilt of his gun, eye narrowing. Sebastian's eyes flickered to Gene's gun before he met Gene's eyes and looked back at Jim. Gene gave something of a hard snort. 

"And we're supposed to believe that?" Gene scoffed. "For all we know, you could be lying to us to save your hide." 

"If I was lying, why was I trying to save you from it?" 

"'It'?" Jim asked. "Don't you mean 'her'?" 

Sebastian shrugged. "Call 'it' 'her' if you want. But the fact of the matter is, is that I can't change any biases you may have held against my inferior copy." 

"How was the Harry MacDougall we knew a copy of you?" 

"He was firstly cloned from my DNA. However, he was raised in a lab for the first few years of his left. Then his memories of that experience were wiped out; new ones with Ron MacDougall were transplanted." 

"Wouldn't Ron know the difference?" Gene asked. "He's not a stupid man by any means." 

"No, he wasn't. He almost did," Sebastian said, his voice wistful. "Ron MacDougall was my half brother but I was a young fool and told him he was my full brother once when I managed to escape. When I disappeared, the clone Harry, the one you all came to know, was made as my replacement." 

"So you and Harry MacDougall are exactly the same?" 

"Physically, exactly. Psychologically, we share very few traits. It all really depends on how one was raised." Sebastian leaned back against the wall. "And Harry was one interesting piece of work." 

"Do you know how he ended up like that?" Jim asked. 

Sebastian shrugged. "Only Ron would know. And he won't be very talkative, seeing as how's he's crippled and his tongue was ripped out." 

"How did he even end up like that?" Gene asked; he had paid a visit to Ron before leaving Earth and had been shocked by what he saw. Confined to a wheel chair, unable to speak or even write basic sentences. Melfina wasn't exactly happy with what she saw either. "It was her wasn't it?" 

"Yes. Ron took on a job of trying to protect a Styx scientist. She maimed him and killed the scientist. I think it was Mia or someone like that." Sebastian gave a harsh laugh. "I'm probably the only person in the universe who can handle her." 

"What makes you say that?" Jim asked. 

"My body," Sebastian said as he rubbed his ribs. "Is far from normal, as is hers." 

Jim didn't step back when he saw the gleam of a dagger's edge in the light. All that he heard from behind him was Gene cocking the gun, the sound of the drawn back hammer echoing through the room. Sebastian moved slowly, placing the edge against his palm and drawing it down in a hard a vicious stroke. Jim and Gene watched as the blood oozed out thick and slow, a deep red in the low light. Jim blinked for a second as he had a sudden mental flash of someone drawing a scalpel across someone's pale white flesh, but it vanished away. He shook his head, watching Sebastian. After five minutes, it stopped oozing, the blood migrating back to the wound. When it pooled back into the wound, the flesh started to move together slowly, no scar tissue forming as it closed up. Ten minutes later, he hand was as good as new. Sebastian flexed it, giving them a grin. 

"And my rate of healing is far lower. She can heal almost instantaneously, should she choose to do so. You are in far over your head Starwind. She wouldn't hesitate to kill you if you irritated her enough." 

"I would imagine." Jim said in a dry voice. "So, the Harry we knew was a copy and you are some sort of enhanced human?" 

"Yes. But I wasn't born in some test tub. I was sold to Styx when I was an infant. I guess you could say I've been training since I was young." 

"That's revolting." Gene said. 

"There are people and corporations that have done worse than parents selling their own children." Sebastian said in a grim voice. 

"But you said you're related to Ron MacDougall." Jim said. "And yet you were raised by Styx and he wasn't?" 

"I am. We just have different mothers." Sebastian said with a sigh of exasperation. "I just happened to have the mother who would sell her own children for drugs and alcohol." 

"So when you managed to escape, you went to the only family you knew of. How did you know Ron was your half brother if you spent your entire life raised by a corporation?" 

"I hacked into the system files. They have information on everything and everyone possible." Sebastian yawned. "These beds are godawful and there's no decent pillow." 

"That's why we stuck you in here." Gene said in a snort. "So who paid you to come after her?" 

Sebastian looked at Gene. "You know, you're really naïve when it comes to complicated matters such as this." 

"Naïve, huh?" Gene said in a dead voice. "Not naïve enough to engage her directly in hand to hand combat." 

Sebastian simply inclined his head slightly. "Is there anything else you wish to know?" 

"It'd help if you answered Gene's question." Jim said. 

"Come now," Sebastian slid forward until he was just on the edge of the bed. "I'm sure I don't have to tell you Jim." 

Jim didn't flinch as he looked into Sebastian's eyes, trying to remember that this was a person completely separate from Harry MacDougall. 

"Well, if you work for Styx, then you can tell us what P-18666 is. And why Khujesta was freaking out that…she destroyed Khujesta's last vial." Jim said slowly. 

"Ah, P-18666. That is, quite frankly, none of your business. But tell me, how is dear old Khujesta doing?" 

"What does it matter to you?" Gene asked. 

"Won't tell me? Fine, I'll guess." 

Gene muttered a growl of discontent; this Sebastian seemed to have far too many ready answers that would be virtually impossible to check. He moved directly behind Jim, blocking the light that had fallen on Sebastian. 

"Khujesta is probably asleep right now, and has been for most of the week. The times that she is up, she's irritable, snappish or just downright belligerent. She sweats sometimes as if she's too hot or shivers as if she's freezing." 

Jim and Gene didn't say anything, not wanting to let Sebastian know that he was right. Sebastian looked between the two of them before he settled back against the wall, a pitying expression on his face. 

"So, you mean to try and deny what you yourselves have seen. Bigger fools than I thought." 

Gene didn't even say anything as he grabbed Sebastian by the collar and wrenched him upwards and pinned him against the wall. "I already don't like you to begin with. And the way you were looking at Melfina back on Earth doesn't win you many points in my book. I don't need your cocky attitude on my ship, so cut it with the shit and don't give me any more reasons to hate your guts. What does Khujesta need the P-18666 for?" 

"Prone to violence as well; small wonder Khujesta picked you. You're so foolhardy that there's no way for-" 

Gene balled up his free fist and buried it deep into Sebastian's stomach, feeling a few things give beneath the force of his blow. Sebastian gave a thin hoarse gasp as Gene let him go and fall to the bed. Jim gave Gene a reproachful look but didn't move to help Sebastian at all. After a good twenty minutes, Sebastian finally rose, though a bit shakily, and sat down on the edge of the bed. 

"Let's try this again," Gene said as he aimed his gun directly at Sebastian. "What does Khujesta need the P-18666 for?" 

"It's a liquid drug that's an enhancer." Sebastian said in a rough and somewhat empty voice. 

"An enhancer in what respect?" Jim asked. "Physical, mental-" 

"Physical and mental." Sebastian said. "It enhances a person's biological systems as well as their mental capacity. But in terms of the biological systems, it simply renews them." 

"Much like a fountain of youth." Jim murmured. 

"Exactly. The only problem is that once you start taking it…" Sebastian let his words dangle in the air. 

"You can't…" Jim's eyes widened as he turned to look at Gene. "You stay here with him. I'm going to go and see Khujesta." 

Gene didn't even have a chance to stop Jim; he was gone out the door in a blink of an eye. He glanced over at Sebastian, not saying anything, Sebastian was still holding his stomach, his breath raspy and laboured. Gene gave a smirk of satisfaction; if something like that could slow down Sebastian then he was fine whenever he had to fight this girl face to face. He grumbled something unintelligible as he shifted on his feet; the looks Sebastian was giving him was somewhat disconcerting; it was eerily like the way Fred looked at him whenever he stopped by to make a loan payment. 

"What?" he snapped after a few moments. 

"You know, Red Riding Hood," Sebastian said softly. "You look horrible; you really should get a decent haircut." 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Jim walked into the room slowly. As far as he knew, Khujesta was still asleep. He paused by the doorway before he turned the lights on slowly to a gentle glow and pulled up a chair beside the bed. He looked at Khujesta; her once black hair had turned virtually white, a few black strands left. Khujesta stirred and turned on her side, exposing her face. 

"Dear God, Sebastian was right." Jim muttered to himself. 

Khujesta's face was completely wrinkled and folded over in old age. She had looked as if she was only heading into her forties when they boarded the ship. Now she looked twice her age, almost a hundred. He sat there for a moment, unsure of what to do. He reached forward and shook her gently. 

"Khujesta. Khujetsa." He said softly, not wanting to hurt her. 

"Hm? Jim, what are you doing here?" her voice trembled as she pulled the blanket over her face in a vain attempt. 

"We know Khujesta." Jim said sadly as he pulled the blanket away slowly. "Why don't you just tell us the truth? Why did you work for Styx? Why are you on the run now? Why is she so determined to kill you?" 

Khujesta's face wrinkled with sadness as tears glimmered in her eyes. "I was so young once, believing the foolish ideal that people wanted help from scientists. But in the early days of outlaws, scientists were something to be feared. That's why I worked for Styx; it was the only safe haven at the time." 

Jim winced as Khujesta broke off into a hacking cough. "You can start again when you feel ready." 

"No, I don't have much time left." Khujesta managed. "The trouble started with the Rebirth Project almost twenty years ago." 

"Rebirth Project?" 

"That was when Styx first formed and they were trying to come up with a suitable pilot for the XGP." Khujesta paused, her breathing laboured. So they created her, as well as making her the perfect soldier, the perfect killing machine. But she had one flaw." 

"What was it?" 

"We aren't too sure still. Nothing that they tried could erase it. Brainwashing, subliminal messaging, it all failed. And then one day, we saw what the flaw was." 

Jim could only listen as Khujesta talked as fast as she could. He didn't dare interrupt her again. 

"A mate was created at the same time for her, so that Styx could breed an army of super soldiers. Where she had the brawn, the mate would have the mental capacity. But during one routine test, something when horribly wrong." 

Jim simply nodded, wanting to hear the rest. 

"He was in pain and she heard him. She demanded that they stop. But the others in the team didn't listen to her all except me and one other. She destroyed the facility and he blew up it up with his psionc abilities." 

"Who was this other scientist?" 

"The one who gave her the jade necklace. She resides on Tenrei in an exclusive resort for women." Khujesta broke off into a hacking cough again. "I was always harsher with her than I was with him." 

"What is she searching for? It is just revenge or her mate? Or something else altogether?" Jim asked in a soft voice. 

"For both and for something." Khujesta looked at Jim. "Let Sebastian do as he wishes, please Jim. For all our sakes." 

"What are you talking about?" he was completely puzzled. 

Tears trickled out of Khujesta's eyes. "Forgive me. She already has her revenge. Don't let her get the other thing she desires." 

Jim didn't move as Khujesta cupped his cheek in her frail hand; her skin felt like dry paper, ready to crumble with the slightest force. Her hand fell back down to the bed as she closed her eyes. Jim blinked as he watched her for a moment. 

"Who was her mate, Khujesta?" he asked in a tremulous voice. "Who was he?" 

Khujesta didn't answer, her entire body remaining perfectly still. Jim crept forward hesitantly, feeling sadness well up from inside. Khujesta couldn't be dead, she just couldn't be. He still had to ask her things, about Jade, about Styx, about the Kei pirates, and why, just why, did Gene's Caster gun not injure Jade. 

"Wake up!" he yelled, trying to not cry. "Wake up! Wake up!" 

He couldn't stop the tears from falling down his face as he knelt by Khujesta's side. His fingers curled into the blanket, gripping it tightly. When the door opened, he didn't look to see who it was. When he felt hands settle on his shoulders, he looked up to see Gene with an understanding expression on his face. And it angered him for some reason. 

"She's lying! She's lying!" he said, scrambling away. 

He glanced out the door to see Sebastian standing outside, his head bent and obscuring his eyes. He ran from the room, not wanting anyone to see him weeping anymore. He ran to his bunkroom and locked the door. He slid down against it, wishing that he hadn't heard Khujesta's final words now. 


	8. Six: Tenrei, Again!

A/N: This chapter contains spoilers for the Hot Springs Planet Tenrei episode. So if you haven't seen it - you really should, it's a helluva funny episode; who cares about the nudity and innuendo ^^ - you have been warned. 

And this chapter is much longer. But so much happens in it. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

"Present fears,   
Are less than horrible imaginings."   
~ **Shakespeare; Macbeth**

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Chapter Six - Tenrei, Again!

The sun was looking down from a cloudless sky. Tenrei was bustling as always with a busy space port and welcome gate. And, yet again, on the other side stood a frowning Gene Starwind frowning while he glared at his Hawaiian print shirt. Beside him, Sebastian Delacour had the exact same expression on his face. 

"All these beautiful women and here I am stuck working again." Gene grumbled. 

"Are these things supposed to be like this?" Sebastian asked in a slightly shrill voice as he noticed that all he had on was a Speedo and a brightly coloured Hawaiian print shirt. 

"It's regulation clothes for Tenrei," Aisha said with a shrug. "Besides, what are you complaining about? You've got plenty to show off." she gave him a leer with a grin. "Not that they're complaining." 

Sebastian looked to see a bunch of girls standing and staring at him. "Hey! Stop checking me out!" he yelled as he glared at them. 

Sebastian crossed his arms and stood there pouting. Aisha laughed as the girls tittered to themselves before they walked off; he looked extremely threatening when he was acting like a little kid. She looked around once she was done laughing, noticing they were short two people. 

"Hey, where're Jim and Melfina?" 

"Right here," Jim said as they stepped through the gate with a towel draped over his shoulder along with his shirt. "Filling out the paperwork for arriving with a dead body on your ship is far from fun to say the least." 

"How come he gets a pair of shorts and I'm stuck in a Speedo?" Sebastian grumbled. 

Gene gave a snort. "I think it has something to do with the girls who let us through the gate." 

"There you are Sebastian," Melfina said as she walked in front of him. "On behalf of the crew I would like to apologize for the way you were treated. I would imagine that fresh air is much better than that stuffy cabin." 

Sebastian looked at her amazed while everyone else found something else interesting to inspect. He cleared his throat, finding his voice again. "Um, thank you. The fresh air is a welcome change." 

"Oh, the tag." Melfina murmured. 

"Huh?" 

Before Sebastian could say anything, Melfina reached around and tucked in the shirt tag that had been sticking out. Sebastian's face turned a bright shade of red in less than two seconds. The flush went all the way down from his face to his upper shoulders. Everyone looked at him in surprise before Gene cleared his throat and spoke. 

"OK, what's the plan?" 

"Well, you have to go looking for those guys again," Aisha said. "Me and Jim can look for that other scientist." 

"So who's gonna stay with him?" Gene asked as he jerked his thumb towards Sebastian, whose face had returned to its normal colour. "Who knows what he might do." 

"That's all right Gene. I can stay with him." Melfina said. "It's not too much trouble. Besides, Tenrei is always crowded with people. If something goes wrong, I can scream really loudly." 

"I suppose." Gene said after a moment's thought. "Why don't you go to that ramen place just down the road?" 

"We can do that." Melfina took Sebastian's hand. "Come on, it's not that far." 

Sebastian's face went bright red once more and he gave a sharp squeak of surprise as Melfina took his hand, but he followed her with meekness. Jim and Aisha snickered while Gene shook his head in pity; Sebastian seemed to lose his entire personality around Melfina; or rather, when she touched him in any manner. 

"All right then, me and Aisha are going to go look. I'd imagine you're off to find those dirty old men from last time, huh?" 

Gene glared at Jim's smirk, wondering why he had decided to tell him what happened last time. "Only one of them is old. And it's a bloody long train ride and walk up." 

"Better get going then. Later Gene!" 

Gene watched as Aisha and Jim walked off, starting a conversation with Aisha. They were talking animatedly and drawing envious stares from the opposite sex. It looked like many girls were willing to take on the former officer of the Ctarl-Ctarl Empire. With a sigh, he started for the train station, realising that he still didn't have the talk with Jim and that maybe it was time. It was going to be a long trip. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

"There's the place now." 

Sebastian felt a surge of relief wash through him as he spied the stand just up ahead in the distance. The short walk to this place had seemed like an eternity. He was acutely aware of Melfina's hand holding his; her skin was just as he imagined it. Soft to the touch, though a bit pale and her grip gentle but firm enough. He gave a swallow, closed his eyes and prayed that they reached the stand in the next few seconds before he embarrassed himself horribly. When Melfina let go of his hand, he opened his eyes to see a tall stool in front of him, which he sat on gratefully. 

"This is the best place for ramen on Tenrei," Melfina said with a smile. "Gene brought me here a few times before we left Tenrei the last time we were here." 

"I see." Was all Sebastian could manage in a straight voice. 

Melfina nodded. "There's beef, chicken, miso, seafood ramen; Jiao can make any sort you want." 

"Hm." Sebastian grunted as he nodded his head. 

"You're not very talkative, are you?" Melfina asked with a chuckle. 

"I'd recognize that lovely voice and laugh anywhere," a short sandy haired man came out from behind a cloth flap. "Melfina, it's a pleasure to see you once more at my humble ramen shack. And with no Gene in sight, that's even better; no accusations of me trying to poison him." 

"Hello Jiao, how have you been?" Melfina said with a slight blush. "This is Sebastian Delacour." 

"Nice to meet you," Jiao said as he offered his hand. "I've been pretty good Melfina; business is booming, so I can't complain. But you guys came on a slow day." 

Sebastian managed a smile as he shook Jiao's hand; jealousy was rearing its ugly head and he was doing his best to not let it loose. Maybe all those years of wishing, hoping and dreaming had a negative effect that he couldn't see. But at least he wasn't as obsessed as Harry MacDougall was. 

"So what will the couple be having today?" Jiao asked, looking between the two of them. 

Melfina giggled. "Sebastian and I aren't a couple." 

"Really?" Jiao looked between the two of them carefully. "Hm, could have fooled me. So what are your orders?" 

"I'll have the chicken ramen," Melfina said. "With some leeks and mushrooms, please." 

"The usual for Melfina. And what about you?" he looked at Sebastian. 

"Beef; I don't really care what vegetables you put in, so long as they're crunchy." Sebastian said. 

"One beef, one chicken with leeks and mushrooms. Both want crunchy vegetables." Jiao looked at them and when they didn't correct him, he moved to the stove in the back. "Beef and chicken ramen coming right up." 

Sebastian stared at the countertop, as silence came. _'Say something to her, anything.'_ He cleared his throat. "So, you like crunchy vegetable?" he winced at how high his voice sounded. 

"Yes; so do you apparently." Melfina smiled, her eyes fixed on him. "Is there a reason why your voice changes like that?" 

"It's the heat." Sebastian fibbed. "Makes my voice change for some reason." 

"Ah. Do you mind if I ask you something?" her smile disappeared. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to." 

Sebastian looked at her from the corner of his eye before he shifted on the seat to look at her. "Yes?" 

"How well did you know Khujesta?" 

"I knew her somewhat." Sebastian replied after a few moments. "Why?" 

"I can't figure out why someone would come after her so relentlessly. What did she do to deserve it?" 

Sebastian didn't say anything, as he weighed the options. He could simply tell Melfina the truth but that was bound to trickle back to Starwind and Sebastian had no inkling to piss him off again. Melfina seemed attached to him for some reason and him bloodying him up wouldn't do anything if Sebastian wanted to get closer to her. And the truth was a bit too harsh now, since Khujesta has skewed her true role in Project Rebirth. And if he told her, there was a good chance that it might come after Melfina. He would rather die that let that sadistic creature get its hands on Melfina. That thought alone had terrified him as he had sat in that stuffy cabin on the XGP and he'd be damned if it came true. 

"Everyone does something they regret to some degree. I'm sure someone as sweet as yourself has," Sebastian began. "Khujesta seemed to have plenty of regrets." 

"But a regret that would make someone want to kill her?" 

"It would seem so." Sebastian said. "Have you ever wondered why Khujesta is…was so scared of lyres?" 

"Somewhat. We found on in our offices on Earth before we left and she…" Melfina trailed off. 

"Lost it?" Sebastian closed his eyes as Melfina nodded her head. "She lost it because it almost killed her with a lyre once. It ripped it apart, grabbed a curved end and almost drove it through Khujesta's throat." 

"Oh my." Melfina said in a small voice. 

"Ever since that day, the lyre has represented death to Khujesta and it uses it as its calling card." Sebastian said. "The irony is twisted." 

"Irony?" Melfina asked in a curious voice. 

"The lyre, the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice; have you ever heard it?" 

"No, I haven't. This will be a first." 

"All right, one beef ramen," the bowl was placed in front of Sebastian. "And one chicken ramen." Jiao smiled as he placed the bowl in front of Melfina. "If you two don't mind, I have some things to take care of. If I'm not back by the time you finish, you know where to leave the cash Melfina." 

Melfina nodded as Jiao disappeared behind the flap of cloth once more. She looked back at Sebastian. "Can you tell me the myth?" 

Sebastian didn't reply for a moment, looking at Melfina. Until it was caught, this entire trip would be like navigating through the Underworld itself. "I don't normally tell tales, but I can make an exception." 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

"Okay Jim, we've been wandering around here for a couple of hours now. Just where are we going?" 

"I'm not too sure yet. We'll poke around and see what we find. We've only been looking for half an hour. What are you," Jim trailed off, noticing Aisha's tail flicking from side to side rapidly. "Aisha?" 

"Yes?" Aisha suddenly sounded innocent and unaware. 

"What did you do?" 

"Nothing." Aisha suddenly found the sky interesting. 

"Aisha…" 

"Well, maybe I did one small, teensy thing." She said with a somewhat sheepish smile 

"What is it?" 

"I kinda called my friend in from the Ctarl-Ctarl Empire." 

"When did you do this?" 

"Remember when that girl and Sebastian crashed into the room. Well, after things cooled down and we started to leave, I snuck back and made a quick call." 

Jim closed his eyes and rubbed his face briskly. "OK, I'm guessing they're going to meet us here?" 

"Yeah. She's always on time." 

"More than I can say for someone." Jim muttered. 

"What did you say?" Aisha bristled slightly. 

"Well, what does she do?" 

"Oh, she's an assassin." Aisha said with a shrug. 

"A what?! Are you out of your mind?" Jim yelled. "You have got to be kidding me!" 

Aisha dragged Jim to a bench and made him sit down as some people started to stare at them. "You saw what we were up against in there. We need all the strength we can get from someone we can trust. I don't know about you, but I'm not so sure about this Sebastian guy. So what could be better than two Ctarl-Ctarl?" 

Jim sighed as he hung his head. "I suppose you have a point. Man, things are crazy enough with one, why the hell do we need another?" 

"Like Aisha said, you need the brawn from someone else you can trust." 

Jim whipped around to see a slim purple haired woman hanging off from the streetlight. She was wearing a red bikini that accented her figure with a sarong wrapped around her waist. Cat ears peeked out from her sleek hair and moved every so often, as they captured all the sounds from around her. She stepped down from the post lightly and stood in front of them with a serious expression. 

"Ariel Pri Pri of the Ctarl-Ctarl Empire, at your service." She said in a strangely purring voice. 

"Nice to meet you; I'm Jim Hawking." Jim said as he rose and offered his hand. 

Ariel inclined her head. "I came looking for you since you were late." Her eyes flashed at Aisha. 

"Hey, I was gonna tell him. We were gradually gonna get there!" Aisha said in a defensive voice. 

"Late as always, no wonder you failed." Ariel said as she rolled her eyes. 

"I was not always late!" Aisha said. "Some people don't know the difference between a few seconds and a few minutes." 

"Funny, the clock seemed to know perfectly well the difference. And it was always minutes." 

"You have a lot of nerve, you know that!" Aisha snarled. "I helped you out so much and this is how you show gratitude? You throw things back in my face?" 

"I didn't need your help; I was always fine by myself." Ariel said with a snort. 

Jim watched the furious exchange between the two cat women. The last thing he wanted was to get in the middle of this feud. "Um…I'm gonna go look now. You two can just find me when you're done." 

"Fine fine," Aisha said as she glared at Ariel. "You know what; you're still the same pompous bitch you've always been." 

"Funny, it seems you need my help again." Ariel said with a smirk. 

Jim winced as Aisha let out a string of expletives as he hurried away. There was already a crowd forming and he was more than glad to get out of there. He walked along the street, trying to think of where to look next. So far he and Aisha had visited four spas, three bars and fifteen lounge spots with no luck. 

"This person has to be somewhere on Tenrei." He muttered to himself as he let his feet take him somewhere. 

He looked up, finding himself at the top of a flight of stairs. Off in the distance, he could see a snow capped mountain. He remembered Gene telling him about the hidden place that was exclusively for women at the peak. _''She resides on Tenrei in an exclusive resort for women.' It's been staring me in the face this entire time!' _

"All right, it looks like I'm going up that mountain," Jim murmured to himself. He looked back, hearing a particularly loud growl before he started for the train station. "And not a moment too soon, apparently." 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Gene took a deep breath as he finally reached the top of the stairs; they seemed to be a lot more than when he first came here. The doors of the building stood in front of him. At least they hadn't changed. He walked in, the familiar ceiling stretching above his head. 

"Hello, anyone here?" he called as he walk towards the statue in the middle of the room. 

No response greeted him. Puzzled he started searching for a door; he was half expecting to see Hadul or Ark out here attempting to sell the cheap merchandise, like last time. The sound of his sandals against the smooth polished floor sounded like whisperings. Gene paused at that; feet didn't exactly whisper; Shuffle, yes; whisper, no. 

He stopped beside the wall, hearing the faint sound of voice echoing around him. So they were here, probably in a back room. The voices became louder as he walked along. Just up ahead, he spied a door, sunken into the wall. Walking up to it, he knocked gently before he opened the door. 

"He he, someone's been a naughty girl." 

"You're telling me; really naughty." 

Gene smirked as he leaned against the doorjamb. "Hadul and Ark Manaf; the infamous wizards of Tenrei and the universe; this is how you spend your time?" 

The two people who had been bent over a picture whip around, faces flushed with guilt. But they scowled somewhat when they found themselves looking at the expression on Gene's face. 

"Gene Starwind, here again, let me guess" Hadul simply looked at him. "More Caster shells?" 

"No actually," Gene said. "All I need this time is some information." 

"I don't know, we were in the middle of something," Ark mused as he stroked his chin. 

"Hey, don't you think I wish I was anywhere else but here and surrounded by beautiful women?" Gene asked. "You two got more action looking at that picture than I've gotten in…about a month." 

Hadul and Ark gaped at him for a second before shaking off their shock. They regarded Gene for a moment before they cleared their throats. 

"Well, then there's just a small matter of payment." Hadul began. "Now-" 

"Forget it old man," Gene growled. "I am not climbing back up Mount Nyobi to take dirty pictures of Urt for you; as much fun as that that was I'd rather not get pummelled by booby traps, beat on by women with washing sticks and blown up by rigged videotapes." 

"Fair enough," Ark replied before he grinned. "But that tape was worth it." 

"It was," Hadul agreed with something of a dreamy look on his face. "And you did help us after the tape blew up…" 

Ark glanced at Hadul before he sighed and gestured to a chair. "All right, take a seat. Now what exactly is this about?" 

Gene nodded as he sat down, resting his elbows on his knees. "My Caster shells, in a way. They are made of magic right?" 

Ark nodded. "Tao magic." 

"So technically, when they're fired at someone, they should injure the person?" 

"Yes." Ark had a growing look of confused impatience. "You do remember what we told you about using Caster shells?" 

"Yeah yeah," Gene said with a wave of his hand. "So how could someone take a direct blast from a Caster gun and not show any signs of damage?" 

"What?" Ark's expression became shocked. "A direct blast with no damage?" 

Gene nodded his head. "A direct blast. Right to the midsection." 

"Right to the midsection…" Ark shook his head in amazement. "What do you make of it Hadul? Hadul?" 

Hadul had been occupying himself by looking the dirty picture with a grin on his face. Ark closed his eyes as he snatched it away. 

"I heard everything!" Hadul said as he snatched the picture back. "There's only one explanation." 

"And that would be?" Gene asked. 

"Absorption." 

Ark and Gene looked at each other puzzled, while Hadul started looking at the dirty picture again. "Absorption?" they both said at the same time. 

"Yes, absorption," Hadul said in a mildly irritated voice as he looked up from the picture. "It's a very hard facet to Tao magic. The training for it usually kills a person." 

"She absorbed the shot?" Gene asked after a few moments thought. "How so?" 

"Even I'm not too sure. But I believe it requires someone with an unusual aptitude for Tao magic." 

"Great, even more comforting." Gene muttered. "Is there any way to stop it?" 

Hadul shrugged. "Don't fire your Caster gun at the person." 

"Gene, just exactly who is this person?" Ark asked. 

"I don't know. Some girl created by Styx." 

A deathly silence filled the room as both men went shock still, their faces paling slightly. Gene looked between them; that sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach wasn't doing anything to relieve any of his worries so far. 

"That's not exactly what I wanted to hear." Hadul said after a few moments. 

Gene grunted an unintelligible response before he spoke clearly. "Are you going to tell me why this is so bad?" 

"Styx was reputed to be infusing Tao magic into humans." Hadul began. 

Gene stifled a curse; quite a few curses actually. 

"But they stopped when many of the scientists protested that testing on humans was unethical. So, since Styx was just a fledgling corporation, they heeded their workers' concerns. And then, after the Kei Pirates and scientists split, it was said that they started back with the Tao magic. This is the first I've heard of it succeeding." 

"You don't want to know how well," Gene grumbled. "Just how do you know all of this?" 

"I was offered a job at Styx once, but I refused it. Something just didn't seem right at the time. And when these rumours started to circulate, I made sure I paid attention." 

"I see. So, do you have an inkling of what I'm up against here?" Gene asked in quiet voice. 

Hadul nodded his head. "Are you sure you don't need any more Caster shells?" 

"I could use some more," Gene admitted. "But as long as it doesn't involve Mount Nyobi or Urt, I'll do whatever you want," He stopped, thinking for a moment. "Short of dressing in drag." 

"Interesting you should say that," Ark said as he smiled at Gene. "Because there's something we need done." 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Aisha sighed as she scratched her head absentmindedly. So far, she and Ariel had combed over half of this port town and come up with nothing. It was nice to see her cousin again and there was no one that she would trust more to be with her searching. But Ariel always drove her insane with her know-it-all attitude. Not to mention she constantly rubbed in the fact that she was a highly decorated officer of the Ctarl-Ctarl Empire and graduated in top of her class. 

"Aisha," Ariel's voice sounded irritated. "Are you sure you have no pertinent information?" 

"I'm sure," Aisha said, crowing gleefully in her mind; Ariel always seemed to get impatient really fast. Besides, we're going on what Jim told me." 

"I see." Ariel paused. "And just where is Jim?" 

"What are you talking about," Aisha sighed in exasperation as she turned around before she screeched at the top of her lungs. "Shit, Jim's gone!" 

"Calm down Aisha," Ariel said as Aisha started pacing back and forth with a growl. "We'll find him." 

"Cripes, Gene's gonna kill me! How could I lose him like that? Oh yes, I gotta remember to stop bickering with you so damned much." Aisha stomped back in the direction they had come. 

"Where are you going?" Ariel demanded as she started after her. 

"Where do you think?" Aisha said in an impatient voice. "I'm going back to where he last was to see if I can get a scent." 

"You're going to track him through Tenrei?" Ariel snorted. "Good luck there." 

"I've known Jim for a whole year. You don't forget a scent like his." Aisha muttered. "Now shut up and help me." 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The loud sound reached Sebastian's ears through the soothing music playing in the room. He sat up, looking around, wishing he had his gun on him. Using your bare hands to defend yourself was tricky and people tended to fight dirty when it came to utilizing hands; a fight could easily be lost that way. 

"Is something wrong Sebastian?" Melfina asked as she tilted her head to the side to look at him. 

Sebastian didn't say anything for a moment, thinking. The sound hadn't come again and if some one had been looking to kill him, they would have been in the building by now. But his hackles were gone, only the cool air tickling the back of his neck. 

"No, nothing's wrong, I thought I heard a sound." He mumbled as he lowered himself back down into his bathtub. 

Melfina smiled at him as she leaned back against the porcelain tub. "Isn't this mud bath wonderful?" 

"I don't see what so special about it," Sebastian said as he wrinkled his nose. "It's just mud." 

Melfina didn't answer him; she was already gone, a small smile on her face. Sebastian snorted as he started up at the delicate geometric designs on the ceiling. They had started looking after finishing off their ramen. They had walked so much that Melfina was complaining that her feet were achy. Sebastian hadn't even thought to find a bench; he just helped her walk into the nearest building, figuring it would have a place to sit. 

Once they stepped foot in the doorway, some loud music had started playing, streamers and confetti raining down on them. Suddenly, he found himself being whisked away by three female attendants, the same happening to Melfina. The place they had walked into was a posh couples spa and they were the millionth 'couple' to walk through the doors; which explained the facial scrub, the full body scrub, the shiatsu full body massage and now the mud bath in which he was currently soaking, though it seemed more like slow baking to him. 

"Actually, it's a mineral mud bath." Melfina said after a few moments. "Aren't you enjoying yourself?" 

Sebastian looked at her. The mint green towel wrapped around her head made her skin look flawless. Puffs of steam floated by in the humid air, causing a slight flush in her cheeks. And her eyes shone with content and bliss. His lips curved into an awkward smile; he never really did smile much. 

"Yeah, I am." 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The biting wind lashed down on the mountain path. Jim shivered slightly as he trudged up the path to the summit of Mount Nyobi. So far, the only hard part of this trek was actually going up the mountain. The bobby traps and such were easy to avoid. But, trudging through all this snow was not his idea of a nice climb in any manner. 

"Ah, finally!" he sighed in relief as he stepped onto the top of the mountain. "Now, to find this…resort." 

Jim looked around seeing only a curved rock wall and an old wooden sign that said "No men allowed!" That was all that graced the top of the mountain. Jim blinked and rubbed his eyes, unsure if there was something he missed. But all he saw was the exact same thing before. 

"You have got to be kidding me," Jim muttered darkly to himself. "I climbed up all this way to find the resort and there's nothing up here at all! Nothing!" 

He stamped his foot, hearing a dull thud. Pausing, he looked down, to see the hard snow beneath his foot. He stamped his foot once more, hearing the dull thud, but there was also a slight creaking sound. Puzzled, he stamped his foot a bit harder, hearing a definite creak. Maybe there was some sort of trap door he had to activate. Taking a deep breath, he started jumping up and down as hard as he could, the creak growing louder and louder. 

After a few minutes, he stopped, hearing a low groaning sound. He looked at his feet before he jumped again once more. The ground gave out beneath him and he plunged down, catching glimpses of people and painted walls through the snow before he crashed down into a pool of water. 

He floundered for a moment before he swam back up to the surface. A look up showed him a large hole in a ceiling ringed by snow and fragments of glass. And standing all around the edge of the pool, holding long washing paddles were many women, all with extremely displeased expressions on their faces. 

"What is it now?" a dark haired woman pushed her way through the crowd. "That window again? Ever since he fell through it, it hasn't been the same." 

Jim blinked the water out of his eyes as a woman held out a hand to help him up. He took it ad hauled himself out of the pool. He wrung the water from his hair and stood there, water dripping from his shirt and his swim trunks. The dark haired woman looked him over with amusement before she murmured something to the girl beside her. The girl disappeared and came back a few moments later, carry a robe with her. 

"Here you go," the dark haired woman said. "I suggest you take it before you before you freeze." 

"Thank you," he said gratefully as he took and shrugged into it. "I'm sorry about the…window." 

The woman waved her hand. "Since Gene crashed through it, it's always given us a problem. What's your name?" 

"Jim Hawking." 

"Jim Hawking? You're Gene's little friend, aren't you?" there was a smile of amusement on her face. 

"Yes. May I ask your name?" Jim asked. 

"My name is Urt. Gene didn't mention me?" 

Jim shook his head. "He mentioned something about a video." 

Urt chuckled. "I imagine he would. So, to what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?" 

"Actually I'm looking for someone," Jim said. "Someone from Styx." 

"Styx?" Urt raised an eyebrow. "Well, there's-" 

"That's all right Urt," a voice said from the back. "I know what he's here for." 

Jim turned to see a rather tall woman step forward from the crowd. She had to be taller than Gene; he was craning his neck to look at her properly. The green haired woman looked at him before she smiled a wistful, sad type of smile. 

"It's been so long." She murmured. 

"I beg your pardon?" Jim asked in a wary voice; if there was one thing he hated, it was cryptic sentences. 

The woman's eyes misted slightly. "I was wondering when I would see you again." 


	9. Seven: Singsong

~*~ 

Look into thy glass, and tell the face thou viewest   
Now is the time that face should form another   
_** Shakespeare, Sonnet III**_

~*~ 

_Chapter Seven - Singsong_

Jim sat in his seat, the strange silence of the room, making him feel a bit nervous and anxious. The woman in front of him was placidly drinking from her teacup, perusing the different types of cookies that were laid out on the small plate on the coffee table between them. Jim didn't feel like drinking anything at the moment and his own cup sat there, cooling rapidly. This woman's strange greeting had been running through his mind on a loop. She obviously knew who he was; he, on the other hand, hadn't the faintest clue as to who she was. 

"So, Jim," the lady said. "It's been a long time. What brings you all the way here?" 

"I'm sorry, but do I know you?" he blurted out suddenly. He flushed with embarrassment. 

The lady smiled before she picked up a bite-sized cookie and ate it. "That's quite all right." She said once she swallowed. "Perhaps you've forgotten me over the years, but I certainly haven't forgotten you." 

Jim simply blinked before he brushed aside her cryptic words. "I came looking for you because Khujesta said you knew someone?" 

"Khujesta?" the lady said after a few moments. "How is Khujesta doing?" 

"She's dead," Jim said quietly. "Her last vial of P-18666 was destroyed and she didn't have an extra." 

The lady rested her teacup back on the saucer on the table, her face grim and sad at the same time. "I always told her things would catch back up with her. Jim, I am going to ask you something. What did Khujesta say and do before she died?" 

"What did she say and do?" he paused for a moment. "She told me about the Rebirth Project and how it was supposed to create the perfect solider in, what I guess was to be, a two step system. She was one half with the brawn and her mate was the other half with the brain. Presumably, the scientists wanted them to have a kid, who had both brains and brawn genetically. She said to let Sebastian have free reign to take care of her." 

The woman gave him a strangely pitying look and nodded her head. "Please, continue. Did she do anything?" 

"Um…" Jim found himself strangely reluctant to say anything. "Not to the best of my recollection." 

"Jim," the lady said in a weary voice. "Don't lie to me." 

Jim sat there silently, studying the tabletop. "I don't know what you're talking about." 

The lady looked at him for a moment, before she picked up her teacup once more and took a sip. "You know Jim," she murmured, placing her cup down again. "You can refer to me by my first name." 

"You never told me your name to begin with." 

"Tsk," she shook her head. "You'll know it if you try hard enough." 

"Just what are you getting at here?" Jim demanded. 

"I want you to do two simple things for me Jim. Look at me and focus on my name," the lady said simply before looking over the cookies again. 

Jim frowned. This was ridiculous. But he had to get information from her and sometimes that required a bit of humouring. With a heavy sigh, he shrugged and looked at her intently, allowing his mind to focus on the question of her name. She was simply sitting there now, calmly eating a cookie in between sips of tea. His brow furrowed together as he scrutinised her, mind focusing intently. He gave a small involuntary gasp after a few minutes as well as Khujesta. 

Images started flooding his mind in a torrent. A nametag with the name Pandora Uaithne Richter. A small black haired girl, sobbing in the corner of a shadowy room. And the same black haired girl playing happily with a ball. And the jade necklace held out, spinning slightly on its gold chain in front of the wide-eyed girl. A gloved hand holding a scalpel as it cut through pallid flesh, bright crimson blood oozing through followed by hands wet with tears. Then she looked, red in the face as she launched herself at a large burly man, knocking him over and connecting her fist with his face. The girl was pulled off and the man rose clutching his nose…and then… then flames filled his vision, licking all around- 

"Argh!" 

Jim managed to tear his eyes away from the woman, finding himself gasping and suddenly short of breath. He sagged back in his chair, eyes darting to and from the woman…no, Pandora who had a similarly shaken expression to her face. 

"What the hell was that?" Jim demanded in a trembling voice. 

"That," Pandora managed. "Was your abilities and their rather large kick start," she paused for a moment. "Gods, I didn't think it would be anything like _that_!" 

"What the hell are you talking about?" Jim was more than shaken now. 

"Tell me Jim," Pandora said as she shivered a bit, pulling her jacket in closer around her. "Was anything odd about what you saw?" 

"It was as if they were my memories," he said, swallowing hard. 

Pandora didn't say anything for a moment. "What was your earliest memory Jim? Of your childhood that is." 

"From when I was 7, with my parents. Well my-" 

"Adoptive parents?" Pandora cut in. 

"Yes," Jim said quietly. 

"Didn't you ever find it odd, Jim?" Pandora asked quietly. "That you never had a recollection of anything previously, like most kids? Or that you could always use your brain better?" 

"What do you mean by 'better'?" 

"I mean…did you ever find something glaringly obvious or things that should be complex very simple and straightforward to understand." 

"I figured that was because I had a higher IQ!" Jim said a bit defensively. 

"Or accelerated brain patterns." Pandora replied quietly. 

"But…those only exist in one species in the entire universe." 

"But it's in their genetic code…and what nature doesn't give man, man tries to obtain on his own." 

"You mean it was worked into the actual structure of human DNA? The entire race of humans?!" 

"No, just one person." Pandora didn't say anything for a moment. "That one person was me." 

"But, you just said I have accelerated brain patterns!" Jim felt as if he was floundering by the moment. 

Pandora didn't say anything for a moment. "I didn't think much of it when they asked for some of my DNA, and I gave it. When I found out it was too late, and I wouldn't let them terminate the foetus." 

Jim stared at her in disbelief for a good while. "Wh-What?!" he managed to croak out. "You're my mother?!" this conversation had officially gone from peculiar to something straight out of a movie. He couldn't help but wonder when exactly he would be waking up. 

"In a manner of speaking, I am," Pandora nodded her head sadly. "And you're the son I always and never wanted." 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Gene grumbled as he adjusted his blonde wig. When he agreed to do this favour for Ark and Hadul, he didn't realise it would entail resurrecting his supposed sister, Jenny Starwind. But here he was backstage, wonder how it was that women managed to make underwire bras look comfortable. Considering the way it was digging into his side, Gene figured he'd have a repeatedly punctured lung by now. 

"You'll do fine," he muttered viciously, mimicking Ark's voice. "Make sure you sing something within your range," now it was Hadul. "I swear to fucking God, those two have got to be-" 

"Excuse me, Miss?" 

Gene whipped around, finding himself facing a rather short girl with bright purple hair, with a mic headset on and a clipboard in her hand. He cleared his throat. "Yes?" he asked in a soft contralto. He would not look down her rather open and enticing shirt…and it certainly did look enticing from- 

"Have you selected your song and wardrobe?" 

"Erm…" Gene had absolutely no clue as to what she was referring to. 

"Well, come along. We'll pick your costume first and then a song around that. Much easier that way," the girl said seizing his hand and dragging him off. 

Gene closed his eyes, doing his best to remain calm. It seemed perfectly easy; enter this silly little singing contest and win that dinner with Aphra Gtrey for Ark and Hadul. But when he found out the men's section was full, he'd been pressed to bringing back Jenny, and thus he now found himself in a room swamped with clothes and being pressed towards a change room with an armful of them. 

"Well, are you done in there yet? Sheesh, you have to be the longest! None of the other girls took this long to change." 

"Yeah, I bet they didn't have fake boobs," Gene groused under his breath to himself as he adjusted the bra. "Coming out now!" 

And with that, gene tottered out in the heels and stood glowering in front of the mirror. How women walked in these things was beyond him. The purple haired girl on the other hand looked rather ecstatic. 

"Look at you! You'll have all the guys after you, and probably Aphra too!" 

"What?" Gene rounded on her. 

"Oooooh! I have just the song for you! It's a rock song though, hope you don't mind! And look at that face! You don't even need makeup! But if you make your voice kinda gravely and just belt it out and strut your stuff on stage," the girl gave a resounding smack to Gene's ass that made him squeak and jump with a start. "You'll have them all eating out of the palm of your hand! Oooooh, I have to go get your song lined up and tell the others!" 

And with a final squeal of delight, the girl took off, leaving Gene alone in the dressing room, bewildered and thinking that for once, he may have just bitten off more than he could _possibly_ chew. 

"What I need now," he muttered, collapsing in a chair. "Is a good stiff drink. Those two owe me big time, since I'm prancing around in ripped clothes, heels and stupid fishnet stockings." He growled, glaring at his legs. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Sebastian blinked and looked around as he stepped out of the spa, Melfina just behind him. After finally being released from the spa, he found himself thinking about picking up where they had left off before the rather impromptu pampering. Of course, before he didn't have a large fruit basket to cart around with him. At least they'd save some money if they were hungry; simply eat something from the bag. Gods knew there was enough fruit there to last them a week. 

"Um…Sebastian?" Melfina said in a quiet voice, tugging on his sleeve. 

"Yes, Melfina?" he asked, looking back at her, trying to resist a rather soppy smile; since when had be come whipped? 

"Maybe we should try that crowd there and see if anyone has seen anything." 

Sebastian frowned as he scanned the crowd; it was rather large and if they weren't careful, his target could easily pick them off in that press. But Melfina raised a very god point. It could be a veritable mine of information. And he wasn't about to let this opportunity pass by 

"That's a good idea. But stick close to me, all right? We don't need to get separated in that crowd." 

Melfina smiled and slipped her arm through his, taking the basket of fruit. "Would this help?" 

"Yeah!" Sebastian's voice sounded a bit high, his face going bright red. 

"Your voice is doing that funny thing again," Melfina said with a smile as they started for the crowd. 

Sebastian flushed a bit more. "It's the air, what can I say? It's not used to rapid changes in temperature and that massage room was a bit cool." 

Melfina's smile grew a bit wider before she looked at the crowd. "We should see if we find Aisha in here as well too. Knowing her, she may be here." 

"What makes you say that?" Sebastian asked, grateful his voice was returning to normal. 

Melfina pointed to a large banner over a table that read, 'Free Lunch, Courtesy of Sahaym Records'. Sebastian nodded his head in understanding; he'd yet to come across a Ctarl-Ctarl that would pass up a free meal. "Should we see if they're there before we look through the crowd?" 

"Let's look through the crowd first," Melfina said, before she paused for a moment. "Aisha can be a bit…um…" 

"Intimidating and blunt when she wants something?" he offered. 

Melfina nodded her head, not saying anything. Sebastian simply nodded his head in agreement. 

"We'll look through the crowd first. Last thing we certainly need is a Ctarl-Ctarl making a scene, and then no one will talk to us." 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Aisha paused for a moment to gulp down her drink before speaking. "Ariel, sandwiches?" 

"Busy," Ariel growled before she promptly made three burgers disappear in rapid succession. 

Aisha sighed and reached over for the plate, smacking away the other hand that reached for it at the same time. It seemed that the record company had prepared for the rather prodigious appetites of any Ctarl-Ctarl that may show up. And it was a good thing they did since there was a table of thirty of them, attacking the food ravenously, as if they hadn't had a decent meal since last week. She growled, stabbing a few burgers and sliding them onto her plate, before she swallowed them, as well as the sandwiches, and went after something else. 

It seemed like a long while before the eating died down, and everyone was sitting contentedly at the table, patting their stomachs and picking at their teeth with toothpicks. She glanced over at her purple haired cousin who was currently flicking her tail in content and purring a little bit with her eyes closed. 

"Oh, there you are Aisha!" 

Aisha looked over to see Melfina come walking over, Sebastian on her arm and a fruit basket on her other free hand. Aisha sat up, ears perking up a bit as she regarded him suspiciously for a moment before she leaned back against the table. If Melfina was walking around with him like that, he wasn't posing a threat any time soon. 

"So, what can I do for you my friend?" Aisha asked with a satisfied and smug smirk. 

"We were just trying to find you. I figured you'd be here eating." Melfina said with a gentle smile. 

"I've done my part! LostJimthough…" she said quickly, finding her sandaled feet interesting. 

"You lost Jim?" Melfina asked after a few moments. "Oh my, Gene's not going to be happy with that. Maybe we should look for him now…" 

"Speaking of Gene Starwind," Ariel said lazily. "Where is he? I've been meaning to discuss something with him." 

"You never told me that!" Aisha bristled. 

"I don't have to tell you _everything_ dear cousin. But I believe I have pertinent information that may be relevant to his current…endeavour." 

"And what information would that be concerning…Ariel Pri Pri." Sebastian said quietly. 

Ariel didn't say anything for a moment before she opened her eyes and regarded Sebastian as if she was a spider that just caught a very fat and juicy fly. "Sebastian Delacour…or is it Sebastian Hayaes this time? Or maybe it's Sebastian Janome." 

Sebastian didn't say anything as Aisha watched him suspiciously, lips pulling back into a snarl, while Melfina looked at him with a slightly puzzled and hurt look. 

"What? Is what she saying true Sebastian?" Melfina asked. 

"It is…I've used many names. I told you Delacour because that the one I use the most. Not many know my real surname." 

"What is your real surname?" Melfina asked curiously. 

"It's better that I don't speak of this now." Sebastian said quietly, eyes darting around. 

Ariel nodded her head. "We'll talk later. Perhaps on the XGP before you all leave Tenrei. What I have to say and what we both know is far too sensitive." 

"Yeah, I'll say!" Aisha said, giving Sebastian one last look. "The contestants are coming out and…holy! Do you _see_ what that guy is wearing! Just…holy! I've got to see _that_ up close! Come on you guys! We're going to the front of the stage!" 

And with that Aisha stood up, as did Ariel and they bulldozed their way to the front to get a very better view of the contestants. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Gene swallowed nervously as he peered out the curtain. He'd managed to get the hang of walking in these heels and even strutting a bit. He was pretty sure he could do this, if it were not for the fact that Aisha had dragged Melfina, Sebastian and another Ctarl-Ctarl to the front of the crowd and was hollering, catcalling and stirring up the crowd with every act. And he was up as soon as this person finished. 

"Could really use that drink right about now," he muttered, taking a deep breath. 

"Something wrong Miss?" the purple haired girl was back. 

"I need a drink," he said. 

"We have water, juice-" 

"A tumbler of whiskey." He groaned, hearing Aisha start cheering wildly. 

"We don't serve alcohol here," the girl looked at him for a moment before disappearing and coming back a few minutes later with said tumbler filled with the wonderfully aromatic amber liquid. "You really do look as if you could use it." 

"Thanks," Gene gulped it down quickly, before handing the tumbler back. "How are you going to introduce me?" 

"Jenny Starwind," the girl cocked her head. "Was there a problem with that?" 

"I'd really appreciate it if you introduced me as just Jen. Please?" he pleaded. The thought of having to face Aisha and Melfina, much less Sebastian, after this would cause him enough problems; at least this way he stood a chance of remaining as some obscure performer. 

"Not a problem. Do you know the lyrics to Unforgiven? That's the song I picked for you; it's a really old Earth song, but it's all gritty and still excellent. As you can see, the lyrics are on the monitor and-" 

Gene had to restrain himself from literally kissing the girl right then and there. "Oh, I know the lyrics off by heart! I don't need the screens. Kill them for all I care!" 

The purple haired girl beamed. "I'll leave them on just in case, because you saw what happened. Some of the people totally choked up and forgot." 

Gene didn't feel as bad as the girl bounced off, and he held his mike, twirling it between his fingers, grinning a little bit. He could already hear the crowd cheering as the girl on stage finished. He took a deep breath and strode out onto stage, seeing all the expectant faces waiting for him to start. _'This had better work, because I refuse to do God knows what else for those two dirty old perverts.'_

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Jim looked out the train window a bit absently while listening to the random squealing noises the track made. Pandora sat in the seat opposite him, flipping through a discarded copy of 'Tenrei, Today!' the local tabloid paper. He shifted his eyes to see the reflection in the glass; smack dab on the cover was a picture of Aphra Gtrey, winking with a seductive smirk on her face. Jim sighed and turned his gaze back to the landscape. 

He was starting to wish that what had happened at the summit of Mount Nyobi was nothing more than a bad dream, but it wasn't easy to prove something otherwise to yourself when tangible physical proof was sitting right in front of your face. Jim was seriously wishing he had stayed back on Hayfong and not gotten involved in this entire mess. It would have been less of a headache that way, and he wouldn't have so many questions swirling around in his head. And the strange thing was, he felt as if he already knew the answers to a vast majority of the questions that he wanted to ask. 

"Jim?" Pandora asked quietly as she looked up. "Would you like to go to the dinner car and get something to eat?" 

Jim glanced at her reflection before he quietly nodded his head. Maybe getting something into his stomach would help it settle down a bit. He hadn't eaten anything all day and his stomach was gnawing away quietly at itself in hunger. They rose and made their way down the car, walking through the doors until they came to the comfortable dining car, selecting the closest booth, one with four spaces. There weren't many passengers on this train to begin with, and no one else was even in this car, so Jim was fairly sure that they wouldn't be bothered. 

"So…what would you like to eat?" Pandora asked as she looked over the menu. 

Jim gave a half-hearted shrug as he looked back out the window, watching the landscape pass by. Pandora gave a heavy sigh and ordered as the waiter came and disappeared promptly. Pandora folded her hands on the table, studying them long and hard for a moment before she finally spoke. 

"I know everything today must have come as a shock to you Jim," Pandora began. "But you must understand, once I gave my DNA to them, it was all beyond my control what they planned to do with the results. It was worked into my contract and legally binding." 

Jim didn't say anything, continuing to look out the window. 

"I know this entire mess is the direct result of a disgusting amount of hubris from a group of arrogant and conceited people," she lapsed into silence for a moment. "And that things never should have escalated out of control as they did. Surely you of all people can understand the desire to do something great for humanity and be remembered in the history books." 

"No, I don't." Jim murmured, still looking out the window. 

Pandora gave a small 'Ah' before she continued to speak. "Then is there any way that I can relate to you the…sensation we all felt when we first started this project?" 

"I highly doubt it." Jim said. 

"I see," Pandora didn't say anything for a moment. "What do you see when you look at me?" 

"Someone who bitterly regrets what happens, but isn't ashamed of her actions." He said, drumming the fingers of one hand against the table, the other holding his chin up. "Someone who knows the painful sting of…science gone awry." 

"Science gone awry…that's something of an understatement," Pandora said with a wry bark. "If I may, what are you feeling now?" 

"I think I'll keep that to myself if you don't mind," Jim said, glancing at her reflection. 

"I understand," Pandora said. "I know I wouldn't feel very talkative if I were you at the moment." 

Silence returned for a few minutes to the table as neither of them said anything. Then the waiter returned, bearing a plate of macaroni and cheese, which was placed in front of Jim and a large salad topped with chunks of chicken and croutons and grated cheese was placed in front of Pandora. Jim turned his gaze to his plate and started eating, picking at the noodles drenched in the cheese sauce. He was busy systematically slicing one with his fork when the train lurched to a complete stop. By the time the waiter came around again, he'd eaten the noodles and was working his way through the remainder of the cheese sauce. 

"Excuse me," Pandora asked, catching his arm for a moment. "Is there something wrong?" 

"There's a technical malfunction in the engine room. We should be moving along shortly. Is there anything else I can get you?" he asked, looking between the two of them. 

Jim shook his head, while Pandora said, 'No, thank you.' The waiter nodded his head and continued walking, leaving them alone in the dining car once more. The silence descended once more until Pandora excused herself to take a quick trip to the washroom. Jim waited until she was gone before, eyeing her salad and quickly stabbing a chunk of chicken from it. He was still pretty hungry. 

"Hey," he called as the waiter was coming back. "Can I get another plate of macaroni and cheese, but with some chicken mixed in?" 

"Certainly Sir, right away." The waiter said, scribbling it down on his pad before disappearing again with Jim's plate. 

Jim found himself looking out the window at the stationary landscape with his thoughts wandering once more. Was Pandora actually his mother? He couldn't believe he had blurted something like that out. Giving DNA didn't automatically make someone a parent. And from the way she said it, she gave only a sequence of genes, not a full set. But all she had done was say she'd given her DNA; Jim couldn't be sure if she just gave some of all, unless he asked her, and he didn't feel much like talking to her. The waiter had already returned with his order and he said a quick 'Thank you' before picking up his fork and eating ravenously. He was much hungrier than he'd originally thought. 

"Hm," Jim mused as he swallowed and looked at his watch. "She's been gone for almost ten minutes now. What did she do, fall in the toilet?" 

He turned his attention back to his food; he'd look for her as soon as he was done eating. It wasn't as if they were going anywhere any time soon. It wasn't all that hard to notice when a shadow fell over him, but he continued eating anyway. And he had an odd feeling that it wasn't Pandora. But with everything that had happened, he figured it was just something akin to temporary paranoia that was making him feel like this and so he continued to eat. The sound of the salad being eaten put him to rest. It was Pandora; maybe that's why her hair was so green; he'd never seen anyone eat lettuce in such prodigious quantities. 

When he finally put his fork down and sat back in the seat looking out the window, he got something of a shock that made him turn his head to see the occupant in Pandora's seat. The black haired girl from the alleyway was sitting there watching him. Simply watching him and nothing more. Jim cleared his throat, unsure of what to say at the moment. She smiled slightly, taking a deep breath before she spoke. 

"I've had to tie up Pandora and lock her in the bathroom so we could talk alone." She said quietly. "Do you mind Jim? Or would you like me to go and release her?" 

"No, I don't mind." Jim said, feeling his heart pick up a bit. 

She smiled a bit more. "Good. I've been wanting to talk to you for a long while now." 

Jim felt himself smile in return and it was at this point that his brain seemed to enter a rather conflicted dialogue. "Really? So have I." He admitted. _'So have I? Sheesh Jim, don't spill it all out at once now! First you make googly eyes at her, and now you're heart's pounding away as if you just met the girl of your dreams. Pull yourself together and snap out of it!'_

The girl blushed slightly, her finger tracing out random patterns on the tablecloth. "I wasn't expecting to see you that day in the alleyway." 

"I had no clue of who you were," Jim admitted with a small laugh. The girl laughed as well, although a bit sadly. "Did I offend you?" he asked when the laughing died down. 

"No, you didn't." she said. 

"All right," Jim had a niggling feeling that she was lying for his sake. "So what's your name?" 

"My name? I don't have one." She said quietly. "I was never given one." 

"Never?" Jim asked, his eyes drawn to her neck and the jade pendant that rested there. "You've never had a name?" 

The girl shook her head remaining silent. Jim paused for a moment, musing, as he looked at her critically. 

"Jade." He declared finally. 

"What?" the girl looked up at him startled. 

"Jade. It's a nice name. And it seems to fit you fairly well." Jim smiled at her as he leaned forward and slipped the necklace under his fingertips, skin brushing skin. "And not to mention this necklace you're so attached to." 

The girl blushed even more this time. "I like that name." She said a bit shyly. "Jade it is." 

"What did you want to talk to me about Jade?" Jim asked as he let the necklace fall back against her skin and he sunk back into his seat. 

"I'm assuming that you've talked to Pandora and Khujesta and know everything now?" she finally said after a few moments. 

"I barely got anything from Khujesta and, according to what Pandora told me, I'm supposedly her son in…some manner." 

Jade nodded her head. "You are. She gave a full set of DNA for Styx to use in the growth of a foetus." 

"So she _is_ my mother?" Jim asked in something of a horrified voice. 

Jade nodded, reaching over the table and wrapping her fingers around Jim's hand. "They used DNA from one human and the other half needed to grow a foetus was custom created. I know this seems strange and decidedly peculiar, but trust me; you got the better one of the deal. I just found out who my parent was." 

"Who is it?" Jim was finding it hard to concentrate with Jade holding his hand like that. 

Jade made a face. "I'd rather not say…not now." 

Jim nodded his head in understanding. "How do you know all this is for sure?" 

"I've been doing research. After the…incident I swore I would make them all pay with their lives. But now…I'm tired of it all. I'm just going to find this one place that will give me all the answers." She paused. "I wanted to go with you." 

"With me?" Jim asked in disbelief. 

Jade nodded. "I understand if you want to stay with your friends on the XGP and-" 

Jim was completely unprepared for the large metal bar that came swinging out of nowhere and smashed against the back of Jade's head. He scrambled up of his seat, angry and ready to give someone hell, when he realized it was Pandora and she was holding a large metal pipe. 

"Come on Jim, we're leaving now!" she said, dropping the pipe, grabbing his hand and pulling him away from Jade's unconscious figure. 

"What? What are you doing?" Jim demanded shrilly as he yanked his hand back. "What the hell was that?! You don't just go smashing people in the back of the head with a pipe and-" 

Jade gave a groan, stirring a bit. Pandora picked up the pipe and cracked it against Jade's skull once more. Jade slumped against the table motionless, and Jim was horrified to see the slow trickle of blood creeping down the once white plate and immaculate tablecloth. He started to the booth, but was yanked and dragged away once more. 

"Is what she told me true?" Jim asked furiously, digging his heels in. Pandora had too good a grip on his wrist for him to break free. "That you gave a full set of DNA?" 

"Yes, I did! Now move before she regains consciousness!" Pandora snapped as they exited the train. "We're lucky we're just on the edge of a town. I can rent a car and drive us back to the port." 

"Why the hell should I believe you when-" 

"Jim, she's a killer! There were fifteen scientists working on this project and now, fourteen of them are dead. I'm the last one living. She killed the rest of them all. You can't believe anything she says! She'll use you to get to me!" 

Jim fell into sullen silence as he was dragged towards the town, stuck into the passenger side of a car and pointedly ignored by Pandora. He scowled and looked out the window, as the landscape passed by. Why did he suddenly feel as if Jade was far more trustworthy than Pandora at the moment? 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


End file.
